A newby looking for advice

[Blekingseka]

So I'm feeling like this is a crazy 'first boat project' job for me and my dad and could use some advice.
My dad and I are building a Blekingseka sailing/rowboat which is native to Blekinge Sweden. (Plans from www.batritningar.se, (http://www.batritningar.se,) switch to english, then go to plans and see #14) I don't even know what style this sailboat would be considered! We are in Minnesota working in our garage. We are a couple months into the project having the lofting finished and the strongback and station molds set up (which I might add, lofting and cutting out the molds was quite a project due to all of the strake overlapping.) In hindsight we could have maybe just done the battens thing. We got wood that we've milled ourselves. The boat is traditionally out of solid white oak (or 'WO' as you all call it I think). We will be using WO for all of the backbone and framing parts, but we're using red oak for the planking (can't get a hold of that much nice WO inexpensively). This is getting long so I'll just ask my questions (with some clarification):

--What is best to fill in some small checking in the backbone members. We'll be using 3M 5200 caulk, and System Three epoxy primarily. Will one of those work? Can I just dribble in some epoxy?

--We're thinking maybe Deks Olje (though the Blekingseka were usually just wet docked old water barrels) for the finishing seal on everything. Any yay or nays? This boat will be a melding of traditional look and modern materials (if they will suffice). How well does Deks go over sanded epoxy or caulk (for example the stem checking that needs to be filled??

--For the Backbone scarfs and bolted joints should we use the epoxy (I know it's WO, we're gonna run some tests)or the 5200 (a little more give)? We'll probably be putting a few copper rivets in the backbone scarfs as well. excessive..maybe. But looks nice.

--Okay, now this one might shock you.. The Blekingseka is virtually rabbetless, yeah I was shocked myself. No stem or keel rabbets.. the planking is just beveled in flush with the backbone. And the only gains we'll have are a few on planks coming into the bottom of the transom. It's a pretty unique boat.. This I think allows the stem and keel to be thinner and lighter (there isn't thickness enough to even cutt rabbets, the middle lines would be about touching). Anyways, so do we just go ahead and 5200 the garboards and plank ends where they meet the backbone? I think we'll pass for now on the old tar and horsehair methods. I think the Blekingseka can probably afford to lose the strength of the rabbets dues to the strength gained in the overlapping planks. It's got a good keelson too.

So.. have at it I guess. I'd really appreciate the advice from you guys that have so much experience.

Anyone think this is crazy?

[JimD]

Allow me to remove the dot from the end of the link so it works smile.gif

www.batritningar.se (http://www.batritningar.se)

Edited to add: PS - Welcome to the forum!

[ 01-08-2006, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: JimD ]

[Bob Cleek]

Interesting boat! Not one I've noticed before. I would expect that the planking will be something of a challenge, though not daunting. The planks are wide and seem to require some twist. I would comment that you should inquire beforehand whether the planks in a traditional construction are steamed or not. If so, this will dictate your choice of planking material to some extent. If the wood won't steam well, it will not be the best choice for plank.

A general observation: if a design is an evolved indigineous boat, you should be extremely conservative in deviating from traditional construction methods. The construction method often dictates the shape of the boat and vice versa. I would not opt for red oak for planking for a variety of reasons, not least of all that it is liable to soak up a lot of water and that will affect the weight. Also, some red oak is great boat wood and other red oak will rot in the blink of an eye... and we really don't know which is which! If white oak is unobtainable (the additional cost in a boat this size is really a negligible percentage of the cost of the whole boat), I'd look to something like pitch pine or cedar as a suitable substitute, rather than red oak.

Also, please just forget that 5200 exists. It is an excellent material for certain applications, although it should be used very conservatively. More often than not, its use is regretted later, particularly if any repairs are to be done. Just forget about the stuff, please. You'll be glad you did. It is not a panacea.

Forget about checking in your large timbers. These checks will swell up closed when the boat is in the water. If you really must, DO NOT fill the checks with anything hard, like epoxy, since when the woods swells up, the hard material in the checks will cause greater checking! Fill checks with a soft material like Dolphinite. When the cracks swell, it will be pushed out of the crack and can easily be scraped off. Given the design of the boat and the method of construction you've chosen, there is no need for epoxy anywhere on this boat. (You should, however, use CPES as a sealer base for whatever will be painted or varnished.)

You can use Deks Olje for finishing, if you want. Many traditional boat afficionados shy away from it, though, because it provides a finish that is not traditional in appearance, to many eyes, at least. In a vessel of this type, a pine tar oil compound would be traditionally appropriate, far less expensive, and much easier to refinish. It would also permit the wood to "breathe" well and so minimize opportunities for rot to occur.

If your plans show where timber fastenings are to be placed, by all means follow those plans. All backbone scarfs (and any other joinery) should be mechanically fastened. Do not rely on epoxy or (God forbid!) 5200 to hold anything together. That said, there's no point in either. A boat of this type should permit a certain amount of movement anyway. Use a flexible luting (goop) compound on all your faying surfaces. This could be Dolphinite, tar, (Henry's "Wet Patch" roofing compound) or, if you must, 5200. Remember, though, that if you ever have to disassemble anything, 5200 won't let you do that! It sticks like crazy.

The lack of the rabets is not a problem. The rabet really doesn't add strength. It is just a finishing method. In a clinker planked hull, the watertightness will come from the planks swelling against the overlaps. A good fastening is all you need. For the ends, a rope of cotton caulking will serve. Please don't use 5200. It won't add much, if anything, to watertightness and is messy, expensive, and would prevent removal of planks for repairs if they were ever needed. In short, build this boat, which has evolved oveer a long, long time, the way the original was built. Most every detail in the original was there for a reason. While there are modern materials that are an improvement over certain traditional materials, building a traditional boat with the traditional methods will avoid the inevitable "square peg in round hole" sort of problems that occur when you try to build an old boat some new way.

[Bob Smalser]

http://www.batritningar.se/images/boatplans/1.jpg


Originally posted by Blekingseka:
....but we're using red oak for the planking...

--What is best to fill in some small checking in the backbone members.

--For the Backbone scarfs and bolted joints should we use the epoxy (I know it's WO, we're gonna run some tests)or the 5200 (a little more give)?

-- Anyways, so do we just go ahead and 5200 the garboards and plank ends where they meet the backbone? Red Oak is awful heavy and rots quickly. Pine or cedar planking would be a much better choice...you can sell the Red Oak to cabinetmakers.

I use soft poly sealants like 5200 in checking. Put something hard like epoxy in there, and when the wood expands seasonally, the epoxy acts as a wedge and can crack the opposite side. I also use roofing tar in work boats.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/124272456.jpg

Don't bother testing. Plenty of others have, including me. Epoxy and WO are simply too unreliable.

When glue is called for in WO, use resorcinol and heat blankets if you have to, so as to keep the temp at 70 degrees or better. When bedding is called for, use Dolphinite or other nonadhesive bedding compounds if the part will ever need disassembly for repairs, and 5200 if the assembly is permanent. Plank to stem joints will require repair one day, so Dolphinite or tar is appropriate.

[ 01-08-2006, 09:35 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Steve Lansdowne]

Since you're a newbie, let me add that the two men who posted above are seasoned boat building veterans whose advice should be respected. I've been reading and posting on this forum for several years, and I suspect you haven't, so I thought this information might come in handy. Not all the advice you get on the forum is from folks who are as experienced as these two.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

None much better than those two above.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. Pretty pretty design, good luck with building her.

Edited to say I love the hull shape and the amount of sail she carries, but I have never been fond of the spritsail. I wonder how nice she would look with a balanced lug, or even better a nice gaff rig.

[ 01-08-2006, 08:28 PM: Message edited by: Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson ) ]

[jimendel]

I am also a newbie at boatbuilding, but I can see that that's a damn nice looking boat. Good luck and post some pics if you can.

[L.W. Baxter]

What a neat boat!

I got a book on Swedish wooden boats for Christmas, lots of lovelies in it. Called Wooden Boats and authored by Andreas af Malmborg and Ola Husberg, in case you haven't seen it. Published by Barnes & Noble.

They seem to be big on bright finished topsides in Sweden, if the book is a fair indication.

[StevenBauer]

Great project! Take lots of pictures please. I love these small Swedish boats. (I'm half Swedish smile.gif ) Did you see the video on Rudderposts of this boat's larger sisters? You can get to Rudderposts from the WoodenBoat homepage.
Oak planking is practically unheard of in traditional American boatbuilding but isn't that unusual in Scandinavia. This beauty was at the WoodenBoat Show in Rockland a few years ago. Oak on Oak, just stunning:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid25/pd883185fbd65c3a3636a654c6a91193d/fd891a9d.jpg

Steven

[StevenBauer]

Lee, I just ordered that book from B&N. Thanks smile.gif

Steven

[L.W. Baxter]

Hey, groovy Steven, I bet you'll like it. :cool:

Watch out for "Madam Flod", my heart murmured when I saw her.

[StevenBauer]

BK, did you see the thread from a few weeks ago when we talked about the Swedish Pilot Boats?

Steven

Here it is: http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=004725

I think No. 33 is the pilot boat. I'm thinking of ordering these plans just to frame for the wall. Do the plans come with any building instructions?

[ 01-09-2006, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: StevenBauer ]

[Blekingseka]

Wow, I hadn't even run across that video yet! Beautiful! Might have to do one of those next!!
Thank you guys so much for all your input and encouragement! In Particular the two Bobs.
As of reading your responses we are now looking into acquiring some WO for the planking. Though I hope the cost doesn't run us underground. We really gotta sell this red oak we sawed up.
We're also finding out the traditional bending methods they use on these... The Batritningar guys have been really helpful. It helps to know a little of the scandinavian languages. By the way, the posted image is from the #1 boat on the site. Our is the #14, but it's really really close. Sorry, our sail is a bit smaller. The plans on the number 1 note that the rigging is too big in the plans.
So my new questions are now:

--How much watertightness is gained from swelling if we aren't keeping the boat in water all the time? It will be trailered most of the time seeing as how we don't live right on the lake.

--Is dolphinite used in ALL joins WITH cotton caulking? What about the Laps. Dolphinite in between? I know some don't put in anything but the rivets.. is that watertight? And some cut a groove and caulk the lower edge.. again: dolphinite and/or cotton?

--If I use the CPES, and then the PineTar Oil/Deks is there still swelling enough to seal? If just Deks #1 is used does it look a bit more natural.. We'll probably move toward the PineTar Oil anyway.

--The plans give no info on bolting the sternpost to the keel.. just a couple long bolts?? The keelson wedges over the end a bit for some support, but shouldn't I run tongue and groove along it?

--I'm still considering using some 5200 in addition to the rivets in the backbone joints, and possibly in the transom pieces.. maybe the rudder jointing.. Is that okay? We've already bought the stuff. We'll keep it in really permanent or completely isolated areas. How well does the stuff sand? Or maybe could I use the epoxy for these areas?

Mr Baxter, I'll check out that book you mentioned some day here when I'm not spending all my money on boatbuilding materials. Thanks for the recommendation.

On posting images on our progress.. do I just hit the 'Instant UBB Code' image thingy?

Again, Thanks all!

[OEX]

If you like I will post your building progress, etc on the Wooden Boat Rescue Foundation website.
link (http://www.woodenboatrescue.org/Woodenboat_Restoration_progress_reports.htm)

You will just send text and photos to me every so often and I will post them. Then just let the WB forum know when the "log" is updated.

http://www.woodenboatrescue.org/image.php?Id=515

Cheers, Bruce Elfstrom---1/2 Swedish 1/2 Norwegian--constant inner jokes going on here ;)

I had not seen that website for plans---THANK YOU!!! Too great.

p.s. just ordered the book too smile.gif

[ 01-09-2006, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: OEX ]

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

I like them Swedish "stinkpots" too. :D
This one built in 1935 has a 7hp engine. ;)
put put put......

http://www.antiqueboat.com/boats/images/hage18-1.jpg

[Bob Cleek]

--How much watertightness is gained from swelling if we aren't keeping the boat in water all the time? It will be trailered most of the time seeing as how we don't live right on the lake. If your laps and general joinerwork is properly done and well fastened, you should have no problems with leaking. This type of boat was intended to be pulled up on shore when not in use. She may "dribble" a bit for a few hours if very dry, but that's what the sponge in the bilge is for! It doesn't have to keep ALL the water out, just enough to keep you afloat and dry. tongue.gif


Is dolphinite used in ALL joins WITH cotton caulking? What about the Laps. Dolphinite in between? I know some don't put in anything but the rivets.. is that watertight? And some cut a groove and caulk the lower edge.. again: dolphinite and/or cotton? There are a variety of methods. Traditionally, nothing goes between the laps. The wood should swell tightly against the adjacent plank. No need for Dolphinite or cotton between the laps. You may require bedding and cotton where the hood ends of the planks and the bottom of the garboard fasten to the keel, stem and transom edges. Dolphinite is used between scarfs and for bedding hardware. It doesn't have sufficient flexibility when dry to be of much use as a sealant where wood moves much. Rely on your fitting to provide water tight joints, less so than some googe to cover sloppy fitting.


--If I use the CPES, and then the PineTar Oil/Deks is there still swelling enough to seal? If just Deks #1 is used does it look a bit more natural.. We'll probably move toward the PineTar Oil anyway. Use CPES as a SEALER beneath coatings such as Deks Olje or paint and varnish. Do NOT use it beneath oil, which you want to soak into the wood. CPES prevents this sort of penetration. Also, CPES has no ultraviolet inhibitors and will not work well if not covered by a coating (paint or varnish) which protects the CPES from UV degradation. I expect these boats were traditionally oiled. The oil will keep the wood fairly well sealed. There is nothing yet devised that will "encapsulate" wood and prevent shrinking and swelling. Some methods may slow the wetting and drying cycle, but even epoxy is permeable. Think of your coatings as protecting the wood, not keeping water out. Good building technique will provide watertightness. Relying on goop to make up the difference on sloppy fitting puts you behind the eight ball right from the start.


--The plans give no info on bolting the sternpost to the keel.. just a couple long bolts?? The keelson wedges over the end a bit for some support, but shouldn't I run tongue and groove along it? I can't rightly say without seeing the plans. I don't know what you mean by "running tongue and groove along it." Often, plans do not provide details for fastening backbone timbers because the scarfs may be dependent upon the shape and size of the wood you have on hand. You probably would want to cut a mortise in the keel to accept a tenon on the bottom of the sternpost, but frequently in small boats a properly fastened stern post knee is more than sufficient for a secure set up. In traditionally evolved boats, there are often somewhat unique solutions to these questions which, in fact, make the boat what it is. Get all the construction details you can from local builders, if possible. (The best of all possible worlds is to find a similar boat and photograph it in detail for reference.) Take a look at Greg Roessel's "Building Small Craft" for a treatment of backbone construction.


--I'm still considering using some 5200 in addition to the rivets in the backbone joints, and possibly in the transom pieces.. maybe the rudder jointing.. Is that okay? We've already bought the stuff. We'll keep it in really permanent or completely isolated areas. How well does the stuff sand? Or maybe could I use the epoxy for these areas? Caulking in a clinter built boat is really a "belt and suspenders" solution. 5200 really should be avoided in the laps. You'll rue the day you ever opened the tube! It does not sand. It dries like rubber. If you want to use it as luting between scarfs (that you never ever intend to disassemble), good enough, but it is a very expensive option for that purpose. (Start using 5200 instead of Henry's, white lead, or Dolphinite and you'll have spent more on 5200 than on your oak! (Well, maybe not, but you get the drift.) Neither is epoxy adhesive a good option on oak. Sometimes it holds, but more frequently, is simply doesn't. (See Smalser's great pictures and post on his epoxy on oak testings!) Particularly for underwater applications, if you must glue (such as building up a rudder), use Resorcinol or Aerodux (same thing, but gap-filling somewhat.) Consider splining transoms, centerboards and rudders if they are too thin to permit bolting or drifts.

Do check out Greg Roessel's book, which should have most all of what you need to know. Also, you may wish to build a MODEL of the boat before you start cutting expensive wood. At a scale or one or two inches to the foot, you will be able to loft the boat and build an "as built" model. Not only will you have a nice model to "inspire" you as you build the full size boat, but you will make mistakes on the model lofting and construction which are easily (and inexpensively) corrected and won't be repeated on the full size boat. Better to encounter an error that can be corrected with an xacto knife while sitting at a desk than to have to take a sawsall to that expensive oak you fastened with 5200!

While you are at it, find out just how they construct the plank butts which are indicated on the plans in Smalser's post above. Butt blocks aren't suitable for lapstrake plank. Here is where modern materials come into play. You may be able to glue (Resorcinol) scarfed planks together and avoid the problem. You will have to make patterns for these, of course, but at first glance, I'd say this was a good occasion for scarfing up long (i.e. wide) planking.

[ 01-09-2006, 02:23 PM: Message edited by: Bob Cleek ]

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by norseman:
I checked out the website in Sweden, and the plans instructions say "helt i ek" = oak throughout. Maybe because of availability in the area where the type originated? Just like southern Norway.I saw that, too, and truly monstrous oaks grow in that part of the world.

The tradeoff is with originality and function if the boat's gonna live on a trailer in Minnesota instead of in the water half the year like the originals. Oak planks, even if taken down to 3/8" or 5/16", are terribly heavy and the boat may not be a lotta fun to beach for a picnic or winch on the trailer.

Oak also moves a lot seasonally, and planks that are fine in coastal Norway may split in Minnesota. Using thin oak, true riftsawn stock will be important as the best compromise between seasonal movement and the potential for splitting at the fasteners.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3075040/40075413.jpg

Sassafras, at a third less weight and a third more stability, would be an excellent compromise between originality and function, if you can get it locally.

But oak also may work just fine, so it's your call. Just make sure your planking is dry enuf before you apply it...between 9 and 12% moisture content. I'll be interested in how it works out.

[ 01-09-2006, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Blekingseka]

Again, Thanks.
I actually do have Greg Roessel's book. It's AMAZINGLY thorough! It's been an incredible help. Basics and details. Still like to hear reccomendations by multiple people though too. I'll work on figuring out the sternpost, as well as finding out what's traditionally done with it and the planking butts, although I'm pretty sure they are just scarfed to a feather edge. Anyone ever build a wooden base for their router to use in a scarfing jig?
Sassafras... interesting, I've heard of it, but haven't noticed it around.. yet.
I did find out that the planks are steamed whole in a box.
Not sure how quick we'll have the planking wood, but we will look for the rift sawn. We've got clamps, the rudder, transom, and maybe the oars to make in the process.

Mange takk,
gabe

[Bob Cleek]

It isn't like we are going to cover ALL the bases here, but... noting that you have confirmed that the planks need steaming, I would urge you to take a careful look at the latest issue of WB, the restoration series article. It contains some great information regarding the selection and milling of wood for bending. If your boat requires some really "twisted" plank bending, you will have to obtain not just "ek," but STEAMING oak, not dried and selected and milled with the grain in mind for steaming purposes. Other woods are suitable for steaming, but they must be selected carefully. I believe Smalser's suggestion of sassafrass would fill the bill. IIRC, it steams fairly well.

[Blekingseka]

That issue of WB is in the mail as we speak, I'll surely read the article, but in the meantime we're searching for the wood and it would be helpful to know just how green/undried the oak should be. Should it be fresh cut, or somewhere in between? it was mentioned that the moisture cont. should be around 9-12% for the steambending.. is that wet enough?
Also, is there sometimes a problem with the Dolphinite drying out?? If so, are there any preventative measures?

[Bob Cleek]

As for bending wood, the wetter the better. There is little point, however, in worrying about that until you are into your building process. It could be a year before you are steaming planks and by then wet 4/4 stock would have air dried itself! Read the article on steaming frames in the latest WB.

Dolphinite does "dry" out, but when dry retains its plasticity to a sufficient extent. The excess also wipes up easily with paint thinner when it is still wet, making it easy to use (unlike the poly sulfides, which are a bear to wipe up.) Don't worry about Dolphinite "drying up." It also softens easily with a heat gun after drying.

[StevenBauer]

Kevin's picture above reminds me that Thad is bringing this 21' double ender based on a 1903 Danish Seine Boat to the Maine Boatbuilder's Show in March:

http://www.reddspondboatworks.com/images/seineboat4.jpg

http://www.reddspondboatworks.com/images/seineboat10.jpg

Steven

[Blekingseka]

Wow Steven, thanks for posting that! Beautiful boat! Made me think of another question:
Because we will be trailering (not soaking up quite as much water for expansion), do we need to worry about getting the rivets even closer together (more frequent) for a tighter fit and seal? The plans have them about 3.5"-4" apart. Close enough I would think..?

Also, anyone built a steaming box by just building a wood frame and covering it in plastic? (being sure to allow some gaps of course) Sort of more like the inside of a damp blimp maybe. Or some scrap sheet metal. We've got more of this stuff than large pieces of ply.

And Bob, we're just about ready to start on the backbone assembly, we've already got the lofting and molds set up so we're actually not too far from the planking. If we buy it green would it hurt to store it in our barn, maybe under a tarp so we can take it out as we need it? I don't think much drying would happen this time of year around here, and it would be protected under the roof as well. It will be thicker too because we're doing our own milling. Or we could just buy a few boards at a time as we need them. The garage isn't heated unless we're in there so not much drying is gonna occur even in our 'shop' until late spring. Nice and slow.

[StevenBauer]

Gabe, there are more pictures if the Danish Seine Boat on Thad's website: www.reddspondboatworks.com (http://www.reddspondboatworks.com)
He might not want to say much here because of the self-promotion rule but you could contact him by email. Or just come to Portland in March for the Show. smile.gif

You can really make the steambox out of anything but you want it to have some insulating ability so the temp stays up. When I made my tobaggan I made a steambox from a sheet of foam insulation and some duct tape. Worked great. If you made one from sheet metal maybe you could just wrap it in some old blankets or insulation or something. Don't forget to take pictures.

Steven

[Bob Cleek]

As planking isn't as likely to require a sharp bend, wet wood isn't as important as with frames. If you stack the wood without stickers and cover it with a tarp, it should be fine. If your wood gets too dry when it comes planking time, you can always soak it in water to rewet it, although that is a pain.

Put your rivets where they should go. More rivets isn't going to make much difference if your fits are proper.

You can make a steam box out of just about anything. Many use sheet metal HVAC ducting. Some use heat resistant plastic pipe. Any old wooden box will do. I've also heard of folks using those styrofoam insulation sheets faced with foil. Be creative. The "best" way is what works best for you.

[StevenBauer]

Originally posted by L.W. Baxter:
Hey, groovy Steven, I bet you'll like it. :cool:

Watch out for "Madam Flod", my heart murmured when I saw her.The book came today! Wow Barnes and Noble is fast. The pictures of Madam Flod on pages 27 and 30 are worth the price of the book. smile.gif Which I might add was amazingly reasonable. Not to take away from the thoughtful person that gave you this book but it's a beautiful hardcover book filled with gorgeous photos and informative text and it costs less than 10 bucks! Anyone who loves scandinavian boats like I do should order this one. :D

Thanks again for the heads up,
with murmuring heart,
Steven

[Blekingseka]

I just found out that instead of the usual scarf joint, the Blekingseka uses that 'stumlask' joint, which I believe is the equivalent of our butt blocks. So do you guys have any tips on these? I am assuming that the blocks should be beveled on the bottoms where they meet up with the upper-edge of the lower lapstrake plank, as well as beveled to meet up with the keelson when joining the garboard pieces. The keelson, I assume, will simply become the lower edge of the butt block. As will the 1/2 inch or so of every overlapping point of the planks.
Does this construction scare anyone else? Would it be too much to switch to scarfs? Or will dolfinite in the joints be enough? Could I add small complementary bevels where the butt ends join?
I also found out that when traditionally built in Sweden, the oak is air dried for about a year BEFORE the steaming and the bending.
By the way we think we've found oak for the planking. I guess I won't worry too much about it drying now.

Also, I was at B&N and they had 6 copies of the book, but they were all somewhere in a box for rearranging the store!!

[Blekingseka]

Mr. Smalser,
Thanks for you recommendation on the riftsawn stock for planking. We will try to get as much cut that way, a friend of ours is doing the cutting. It's tough because the planking we need is curved in length and quite broad, which makes it necessary to have amazingly huge logs to cut it rift. Would it be close enough to cut it regularly and just use the sections above and below the heartwood where it is almost all quartersawn in character?
Also, You seem to know a lot about the seasoning. 'IF' we had a say in how the wood is to be dried would it be okay to kiln it slowly? It seems like the damage in kiln drying comes from drying it too hot and too fast. I did read too that it is necessary to let the wood acclimate to humidity of the building site.

[Dave R]

Blekingseka, wondering what the chances are of seeing your boat project. I'm not too far away from you.

[NorthLight]

That looks like a very nice boat to be building in the Swede's tradition. Very fitting for my homestate of Minnesota. What lakes will you be sailing her on?

[Blekingseka]

In Response to 'Dave R' and 'Northlight':
I'll keep you posted on progress so if you want to come visit from Rochester Dave you're welcome. Not a whole lot to see quite yet. We'll probably be sailing mostly on Lake Pepin in lake City, MN. As well as Lake Mille Lacs in NC MN. Probably some on a smaller Lake up by Mille Lacs (Placid Lake) as well just because our cabin is there. It's not the best sailing lake though, hence: 'placid'. Probably more rowing than anything.

[Dave R]

I'd love to come see it. Maybe you can have it finished in time for the Minnesota Messabout (http://www.paxtonconsulting.com/2006_MN_Messabout.html).

[Blekingseka]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p01d5a6a1baf56e21bcf67a7f54f2a1f0/f0802976.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pc137824a664173beb49933fc6263270b/f0802837.jpg

These are images of one of our prospective stem pieces. (not cut to true shape yet) It's got some strange shakes in it, which don't seem to be too soft or structurally damaging, but we're trying to scrounge up some other curved logs from the woods to use instead. (not sure what we'll find). I think an additional joint in the stem of this boat (like a 2/3 pc. stem) would be somewhat of an aesthetic blunder. If you guys used this stem what would you try to push into those seams to keep water out?
I'll be posting more images of our setup and progress soon!
Gabe

[Bob Smalser]

Those fractures inside the dark spots are wind shakes....a storm bending the tree til it cracks internally....the board we're looking at coming from a crotch.

Trees don't repair the broken fibers, they merely fill the crack with sap....and that sap, now distilled over many years into dark pitch, prevents glue from adhering. Your board can't be fixed, and while it'll make a pretty accent to a piece of household furniiture, it shouldn't be used for anything structural in a boat.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks again Bob, we'll do some more scrounging.. even take down a standing one if necessary. Peices of it will still be good for framing parts.
g

[Blekingseka]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pac2fead961e6df717dd13f5e8b966ef2/f054e8b0.jpg

Well, I promised updates, so here you go:
We scrapped the questionable stem, hoping to find a replacement to no avail, we had a few logs that we thought might work, but the ones that had a tight enough bend weren't solid when we cut in. So we are adding an extra scarf in the stem instead. Been trying to visualize where it would look best, and I think I'm settled on it now. We're watching wood dry (longer than watching paint dry). We've got the door into the garage open at all times with a fan keeping the air moving. We've got a wood-burning stove that we use all winter, so no big expense. (my mother would like it to be known that she is 'so patient with us'). Meanwhile, I've figured out the scarf dimensions for the planking and the backbone assembly, and built a nice jig. Quite proud of it if I do say so myself. Plenty of clamping places, solid, level, etc. The ramps for the stem/keel scarf will be removed from the jig after we are done with them. (both are mounted presently), and we made an oversized base for the router out of 3/4 ply and some scraps. Had to figure out the adjustment of calculations for adding 1/4x nibs on the scarf ends rather than featheredge.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p318629a6145eeda457284740562b74e7/f054e843.jpg

Now we're practicing the cutting of the scarfs as well as the gluing and riveting. We're trying out the 5200 in the backbone scarfs, that may be the only place we use it though (if we do).

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p262523efc1c4d372ca98a1485523d028/f054e6c6.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p7f3e1585bbeae95361d2e3c8784ff9eb/f054cbbc.jpg

And we're just about ready to glue the rudder pieces together (3 pc, w/splines)(resorcinol).

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p7ee76ab99dc187333a11129c8c975c77/f054e63c.jpg

It also sounds as if I may be able to meet up with the guys that build these things in Sweden while I'm over there this July. Should be great!

Any comments, questions or suggestions would be appreciated as always!
gabe

[Blekingseka]

We've just completed te first actual piece of the boat. Figured we'd do something simple that isn't too crucial if we mess up first-timing it with resorcinol. Splining of the rudder went smoothly. We built a small clamping frame to hold the pieces stationary and flat, glued up, clamped and let it cure for 24 hrs. being heated in an old tent with a space heater inside. It stayed between 85 and 100 degrees. Then we got to have a bit more practice with the planes and spokeshave to thin down the aft edge. We'll wait now to do the final sanding, finishing and attaching hardware until further on.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p5768781c8e301bce0de60248efd48222/f03976b8.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/pb3639680e2a9f2e7b985644e836129ed/f03976a0.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p84004fa55b248c812496612e97f0431c/f0397687.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p8b5b62726ffa7ce25ddc058dc6c47652/f0397621.jpg

Meanwhile I've come up with some new questions:

Is it necessary to put stopwaters on the backbone scarfs? From what I've read, any joint that passes through the rabbet gets one, but I have yet to actually hear of or see one in a scarf. That.. and... we don't really have a 'rabbet' into the backbone assembly on this one.

We've tried out a practice scarf with 5200 and we aren't particualrly impressed with it. Strong, but it seems like it may be pulling off of the wood a bit in the joint. I don't think our practice wood was totally dry, but if that's what the stuff will do with expanding and shrinking of wood, i don't like it. I like how the resorcinol worked on the rudder though.
Should we use resorcinol in the backbone scarfs, or just go with dolphinite and maybe some cotton, OR... I think I just heard of someone using nothing in the joint, and just relying on a tight fit, the expanding of wood, and the penetration of the pine tar-oil finish for the seal... ??

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Blekingseka:


Is it necessary to put stopwaters on the backbone scarfs?

Should we use resorcinol in the backbone scarfs, or just go with dolphinite and maybe some cotton, OR... I think I just heard of someone using nothing in the joint, and just relying on a tight fit, the expanding of wood, and the penetration of the pine tar-oil finish for the seal... ??Installing a soft pine (heartwood) stopwater is no big deal, and they are standard practice in any backbone joint that penetrates to the inside fo the boat. 3/8" diameter and at or slightly above the waterline will provide some insurance, as your wood may be a bit wet to rely completely on even a resorcinol bond.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/70507451.jpg

You can reinforce scarf joints with copper rivets, bronze machine screws or if large enuf, simply nib and key them without hardware. If your wood is under 15% EMC, stick with the resorcinol if you can get enuf heat on it to cure properly. If above 15%, I might try PL Premium poly construction adhesive.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks Bob, I guess I'm still a bit confused as to what a stopwater would look like in a scarf joint. Would two simply run through the joint perpendicular to the keel at each nib end up where the planking attaches to the keel, or would it need to be a long diagonally-bored one that follows the entire cross-section of the joint? that would be an insane one to make it seems, though maybe not impossible. Is it really necessary?
And I'm getting the drift that I should go with Resorcinol in the backbone scarfs rather than just fasteners and dolphinite.
right?

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Blekingseka:
Thanks Bob, I guess I'm still a bit confused as to what a stopwater would look like in a scarf joint. I can't see your stock or work practices from here.

If it's a wide plank keel with a long, tapered scarf done in dry wood using resorcinol, then you don't need either a stopwater or reinforcement.

If it's a narrow but deep keel in wet wood with a short scarf, then both reinforcement and a stopwater are advisable should the glue joint ever fail. Refer to a book that shows stopwaters in three-piece rabbeted stems and where they are placed. A stopwater is a hole bored across the full width of the seam of the joint after it is assembled, and a soft pine plug driven in tight and cut flush. The purpose is so the pine will expand with water and seal off the seam from water ingress.

If the glue joint never fails, you can live without any of this. But scarfs with partial end grain in heavily-stressed backbones don't glue as well or reliably as simple edgegrain layups...the longer the taper of the scarf, the stronger. Add the fact you don't know how dry your wood is for gluing, and I don't know how heavy you are clamping, and I'm sticking with a belt and suspenders approach.

[Blekingseka]

Here is an image that may explain my question better. I'm wondering if these options are a bit overkill.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p87646e641491fb471db3c154d91c3d9b/f02bc1f2.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p3156d278dfeedb26177a329e72b5d6e4/f02bc1f1.jpg

Could I just put a strip of cotton caulking maybe up above where the planking meets the joint all the way through the joint, or just add thin blanket of cotton in between the surfaces as I'm gluing (like the photo early in the thread of cotton on a tarred scarf)? As long as I'm using fasteners should I just go with dolphinite instead of resorcinol?
And Bob, why "machine screws" as opposed to true wood screws?
Thanks guys!
g

[Blekingseka]

I must have just been writing my post while you were posting Bob.
Dimensions for the keel/stem are 5 1/2" by 1 3/8" thick. Nib to nib will be about 7 1/2" distance.
We'll have the moisture meter so we can be sure the wood is <15% and can make sure the conditions are hot enough for resorcinol. I'm hesitating about adding a few rivets because the roves stick out a ways.

[dmede]

I think you have the stop water shown in the wrong direction Blekingseka.

In your drawing, the stop water should go across the width of the board. So you would drill a hole in the center of the scarf from one edge to the other and tap in your stop water.

The stop water goes in the plane of the scarph and perpendicular to the scraph face.

[ 02-14-2006, 06:44 PM: Message edited by: dmede ]

[Blekingseka]

Okay, this is getting pretty funny. Maybe I'm making this too confusing. Sorry if I am. The backbone scarf on the blekingseka is not like the one pictured by norseman, the zigzagging seam of the nibbed scarf will not be visible on either profiled sides of the keel, but rather on the top and bottom of the keel. Picture it oriented just like a planking scarf! On one of the joints the keelson will be coming over the zigzag. See my drawing up above. dmede, I think I understand what you are saying. In this case that stopwater would have to be driven straight down from where the keelson is through to the bottom of the keel (and open water), which would only prevent water from shifting forward and back in the joint rather than preventing it from coming up into the boat.
When you look at the profile of this joint the straight seams (nibbed ends) of the joint will be offset on opposite sides of the boat, one being fore and one being more aft. My drawing above is primarily a profile view.
Let me know if this is making any sense..
g

[Blekingseka]

This place is almost like a chatroom right now..
maybe these pics will help. Our scarfs will be like this except nibbed and quite a bit longer and more gradual.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p9a672344977cdbab7921d8a1b1d3a0cd/f02ba012.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/pe4d6e65df8ccace3b24074a5a3b780de/f02b9ff4.jpg

[dmede]

Yeah, I see now how you have the scarf laid out. This is out of my area of knowledge. I guess the only way a stop water would have any effect in there would be to have it in the plane of the scarf but running parallel to the scarf line, like you have it shown in your lower sketch. Seems unconventional, but I'm a rank amateur so I'll let others fill us in.

[Dave Fleming]

Jes' so we all are on the same page of what a true STOPWATER looks like here is a scan of an image out of Bud McIntosh's book.

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL780/3097474/6292566/129474641.jpg

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Blekingseka:
The backbone scarf on the blekingseka is not like the one pictured by norseman, the zigzagging seam of the nibbed scarf will not be visible on either profiled sides of the keel, but rather on the top and bottom of the keel. Picture it oriented just like a planking scarf!Then a stopwater is a waste of time.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/p9a672344977cdbab7921d8a1b1d3a0cd/f02ba012.jpg

But I wouldn't orient the scarf that way, either. The stress on a backbone is up and down as it flexes. The scarf you describe will be a definite hard spot as the keel works. And will surely leak if the gluejoint cracks, which looks likely with a vertical scarf.

Such scarf construction with white lead and trunnels may have worked in a boat moored all summer and the wood swelled, but I'd think harder about it in a trailer boat.

[ 02-14-2006, 09:00 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Bob Smalser]

And if I were gonna build a replica of those vertical scarfs, I'd fasten and bed them like they were done traditionally, because they are outside of my experience. They look as though they were designed to work as the boat flexes, and still remain watertight.

[ 02-14-2006, 11:20 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Blekingseka]

Progress is coming along fine on our Blekingseka. We're finished waiting for wood to dry, and now we're just doing what we can when we can make the time. We've got the backbone all set up and our first garboard plank clamped up after steaming. 40 minutes for 15 mm thick WO. I do have to say that we are impressed with the resorcinol we've used in the planking scarf and in the rudder. Holds so tight even with all that heat and a bit of bending (though the scarf is not being bent much) I'll have a better update and some new photos on soon, but we've got a few questions again:

--Are there any preservative coatings we should put on our steambox wood? We are replacing some reflective coated foam insulation that couldn't take the heat with some oak boards and plywood. We took the advice of using the turkey cooker for our burner.. 'twas perfect! That steam gets hot!

--We are also wondering which piece(s) to screw the garboards into when we have an option. The keelson or the keel? alternating? Aim for the seam?

--Must we re-spile the opposite garboard? I am thinking that it would probably be safer than just making a mirrored plank due to any differences that there could possibly be from side to side.

--In planking stock what sized knot should be patched with a dutchman/graving piece versus just a through-spike. How important is it that there be little exposed endgrain. (We're planning on plugging knots while the plank is already bent on the boat.) Some of the knots are pretty small and round, others are more broad and sheared. It's a pity that wood is not always perfect.

--What to cover the screw heads with? The planking is only 15mm, so should we countersink just for some goop or try for deeper and use bungs?

I appreciate the help- more photos on the way-

[Per]

Hi there!
I once owned an original blekingseka that must have been built traditionally in blekinge a hundred years or more ago. I will send you a few photos later.
Reading this thread I notice that people over there may not be aware how much the blekingseka differ from the "generic" traditional boat in scandinavia.
My boat was so worn and covered with tar that I never noticed the scarf between stem and keel. The aft stem however just stood on the keel in the simplest way possible.
This goes for the blekingseka in general. It is traditionally built in the simplest way possible and very crudely. We are talking about a worktool here. The boat is nailed together with nails of soft iron bent over on the inside. Between the boards is a strand of thick soft paper, used in flooring, soaked with tar. The thought of hiding nails or screwheads would have seemed very strange to the traditional builder. This can be clearly seen on photos and sketches. The frames are traditionally fastened to the boards with coned plugs of juniper fastened with weges. These are very obvious and visible on the outside of the hull.
I dare not mail sketches to you due to copyrights but I will see if I can find addresses that you can look at.
I would be very happy to answer any questions because I am myself gathering information for my possible building of a replica of my old blekingseka. Your questions will give me hints of possible difficulties.
Good luck! from Per

[Blekingseka]

First, here are a few of my 500 or so shots from my scandinavia trip last July:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/p8e6cb96990fabccacfce60e3264eb820/ed5223bf.jpg
That's a detail shot of the gokstad ship hull in Oslo. Crazy how narrow some of those strakes are!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/p3c154545d542cde63eb3d563197aeaa2/ed52215d.jpg
Norway's Lofoten Islands. Probably the coolest place I've ever been. Steep mountains, lots of fishing boats and massive fish drying racks all over for the winter cod.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/p162194c0d1eb94cd67ba1ee3cebc3baf/ed521ee8.jpg
The 'Sigyn' Largest/Oldest? 3 masted Barque in existence I think. (Turku Finland) And it's got a windmill on board for the bilge pump!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/pc09b41d79f236ff8e74bd7bdc3a13f12/ed521f31.jpg
King Gustavus Adolphus' warship, the Vasa, that sank when it was launched was awesome but my photos didn't turn out. It was the biggest and gaudiest ship I've ever seen! (sorry no pics)
And Per, you may have seen this boat down by Gamlestan in Stockholm. What is it?
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/pc61c56e3035564cdbd387e657dfa4b8c/ed06b0c4.jpg
ooh, and I almost forgot.. Have any of you read the account of Thor Heyerdahl's adventure on a balsa log raft from South America to Polynesia (Kon Tiki)? Went to his museum in Oslo. Also saw his reed boat the RaII.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/pb22c38cd01f7533d8c4bd002e738f823/ed06bfa0.jpg
And Per, have you seen this boat in the Tunnelbana? I think it was in the Fridhemsplan station. I thought it looked like a Blekingseka. Too bad it was behind glass.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/pb1e1846032480b975b167ae268cd0542/ed522505.jpg

[Blekingseka]

Now the real update:
We figured out how to do our stem scarfing. Nibbed scarf. Just bed it with dolphinite, put in a few strands of cotton caulking like one of those sketches above and riveted it. Seems to be fine. Looks like this:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/pe634355859d099e7425207d5b328c876/ed06bf3b.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid212/pe495dd9502627eccf304823a05763fcf/ed522680.jpg
Per, you are right the Blekingseka rear stem/sternpost is attatched to the keel really simply. Just bolted through. We did add a stopwater in between sternpost and keel where the garboards will be beveled onto the backbone.
After some practice cuts the router scarfing jig we made worked wonderfully for the planking, and that resorcinol seems to be working great with the WO.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/p0adfb159781926ba330d3e4d7f5b12e7/ed0aed84.jpg
Here's a pic of our second attempt at a steambox...Old pine fence boards and 1" thick foil lined insulation foam. Plywood bottom. It worked great with the turkey cooker, but in the process of steaming the first garboard it self destructed. Note to self: don't skimp on the steambox. We're currently building a new one with some more substantial materials.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/pa3fc7926f0099e86ad8425de0b7c507c/ed0aeabd.jpg
My first steamed plank!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/p1fe498e2f9f9583df02fa9c13fef07e3/ed0aeaea.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid214/pe9618037b7de6ab0c6fedd97f1b062d8/ed0aeb47.jpg
It's all faired now, we're repairing some knots in the plank now, and then I think we'll somehow use it to make a pattern for the other side.
Per, I would love to see some photos of your Blekingseka. I'm thrilled to have you as a resource. yeah, this boat seems like it departs a bit from the norms. We're trying to keep it just a little less rough than the old ones. We're using rivets instead clenched nails, and dolphinite bedding compound instead of tar, but we will be using the pine tar and linseed oil mix for the finish. We'll probably use screws to attach the faming pieces too. We may not bother trying to cover up all of the screws. They just look so much more industrial. I'm not sure yet. Some questions I do have are:
Per, How do they traditionally attach the garboard to the keel and keelson? I think we'll use screws and put them in at a 90 degree angle whenever we can so sometimes the screw will be going into the garboard and sometimes the keel, but at the ends the plank is thin and at such different angles that it becomes difficult. Any tips?
Was your Blekingseka rigged for sail? What was it like to sail, and how does it row? The plans we have only show one rowing bench, but we're considering an additional one for another oarsman (which I've seen on other plans). Let me know if you want any more details on how we've been doing ours, and I would love to see some of your photos!
Ha det! (sorry, only some Norsk)

[John Gearing]

This is a wonderful thread, and shows what the Forum is really capable of doing communication-wise. Blek, there are a couple of back issues of WB that might be worth looking at. One was a story about a young American who went to Norway to learn how to build Oselver (sp?) boats, which is where, IIRC, I first heard about vertical scarf joints. And in the other, a pair of brothers built a rather larger lapstrake boat than yours, but still of traditional design. I recall that they did caulk the plank seams, but wouldn't bet 100 per on it.

Looks like you guys are doing a great job. Keep us posted!

[Per]

Honestly I don´t know how they fixed the keel, garboard and boards together. I remember that I was amazed about how it all fitted together but it was covered in thick black rooftar so I didn´bother to investigate closer.
They often used to do repairwork and I believe that they planned for controlled diassembly already from the beginning.
More later from Per

[Per]

While I am training how to mail pictures.
Yes I have often seen the boat in the middle of The stream. It is the Helga Holm.
It may from a distance give some viking associations but the design is actually from the period 1300-1350. It is a replica of a boat probably used by the king´s men for fast transportation preferably with oars. It is built in a tradition closer to the north German trade union Hansa.
For more information please look at: www.helgaholm.se/
About the boat in the underground: Yes it is a newbuilt blekingseka.
I feel confident that yours will be as beautiful when finished.
I did never sail my eka although I think she had been sailed in the past.
They build new ones and have regattas in Blekinge so it is obviously fun.
Today sprit-sails is standard but this kind of boat have carried many different rigs. It is quite natural with luggert rig as well as with gaff rig. Swedens big navy shipyard lies in Blekinge, and since the navy preferred luggert rigs on small boats it is a natural choice in Blekinge.
It is a pleasure to row the boat. It leaves very little ripples and no wake. Lovely soundless excursions in the evening.
However: The boat is not well suited for motorisation.

[pcford]

Oselvers do not have stopwaters.

[Per]

Have you taken a closer look at the eastindiaman Götheborg?
She is in China right now preparing for the voyage home.
www.soic.se/ (http://www.soic.se/:)

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the awesome links! Feel free to send more my way! The Göteborg ship is so huge! It's great that Sweden cares so much about its historical roots enough to fund something like that. A big project to say the least. And the Helga Holm looks even more beautiful up close (even if it's Hansa and not Svensk). My distant photo in no way does it justice.

I was right about the Fridhemsplan station boat then. Though I think I'm still partial to the bright finished hull. Or, really, the pine tar/oil mix after it darkens a little.

After we're done with ours, I may have to build some more to sell so we can start a regatta here. The fleet of Oselvers on their site: http://www.oselvarverkstaden.no/ looks like so much fun. On the stopwater by the way: I figured it couldn't hurt.
And if John Gearing is still around: I can find the oselver back issue of WB just fine, but what is the other one? Remember at all?

Per, I'm so glad to hear it is a nice rowboat. I'm gonna be doing some sailing on the mississippi river (hopefully) where the wind is going to be somwhat unpredicable. I figured the key components for a river-sailer would be: smooth rowing, decent sailing, shallow draft (for pulling up on shore), resilient and repairable. Anything else that needs to be added to that list guys? (besides a baseball bat to take on the flying carp!)
Rest easy Per, I don't want to add a motor.

[Per]

A couple of links:

www.nordevall.com/
Paddle canal-steamer with a waist.

www.smm.se/upload/seglandebark.jpg
Shows the trainers built by the navy in Karlskrona, Blekinge in the 19.th century. Inspired some owners of Blekingsekor.
More in: www.smm.se/marinmuseum/

www.bojorten.se/index.aspx
Freight carrying ship for inland waters.

The people that do these projects are better at boatbuilding than promoting their work. Therfore no english texts.

I´ll be back. Per

[John Gearing]

Hey Bleks, I'm here. The second article I was thinking of actually had to do with the Shetland Islands. An interesting place because of the dual influences of England/Scotland and the Norse lands. Issue #118 has an article on the Shetland fishing boat known as the "Sixareen" and includes a feature on the building of a new boat, by traditional builders.

[Per]

It´s forty years but memories are coming back.
I seem to remember that the two first boards were not thinned out into nothing in the aft end. There was about five millimeters thickness left. This of course seemed crude but the oldies didn´t care. The reason i guess must have been to leave wood enough for the screws. There was also metal plates on the outside to strenghten the joint between keel and aft stem. Brutal but straightforward.
To be continued. by Per

[Per]

Link: www.hermione.com/index.html

[Blekingseka]

Nice Link! (once I figured out that I could switch to english) Je ne parle pa francais... (that's all I know). A nice history lesson as well. Wonder what happened to the original ship?
John, I'll check out those issues. Probably order them.
Finished rebuilding the steambox today. On to the opposite garboard.
Would any of you guys suggest running a bead of caulk in a groove on the outsides of the laps in addition to the bedding compound and cotton? Greg Rossel mentions it in his book. Any suggestions for something that wouldn't be unsightly with the bright finish? I may not need it anyway but I'd like some input. I'm just really counting on perfect bevels and fastening especially on pieces such as the garboard where it comes into the keel beyond the keelson. No rabbet on this boat, just a bevel attatched flat. As Per has been mentioning and continually reinforcing, this boat is built very simply.

[Per]

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/farkotten1botten.jpg

[Texas Boater]

Wow. This is a great thread.:)

I have no plans to build a boat from scratch, but this thread has kept me reading on. It is exactly the type of informative and interesting exchange of ideas and experience that I wish every thread on the forum was.

Bravo, keep up the great exchange.

Thanks

[Blekingseka]

Per, in order to post an image, you need to have the image on a website/web storage so it has an address link. Then, all you have to do when you want to post it in your reply is type:
this-is-where-the-http://-link-goes and that should do it.
good luck. By the way what does eka mean? Eka from Blekinge.. Is it just meaning oak wood. "Typical oak boat from Blekinge"?

[Per]

[By the way what does eka mean? Eka from Blekinge.. Is it just meaning oak wood. "Typical oak boat from Blekinge"?[/quote]
Original meaning of the word was: "Boat carved out from a log of oak."
Today the word means: "Any little rowboat, not necessarily made in oak."
In combination with Blekinge it means: "A very specific type of traditional boat from Blekinge almost always made in oak."
The Blekingseka has been made in different sizes from 10 to over 40 foot.
Today the surviving originals and the newbuilt ones normally are between 13-17 foot. The smaller are normally built with five boards (per side) and five frames, sometimes with fir on oak because of shortage of oakwood.
More later greetings. Per

[Per]

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/farkotten1babord.jpg

[Per]

HA! it worked! giant thanks.

[Per]

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/farkotten1fr.jpg

[Per]

From sitting on the rowbench looking where the transom ought to be.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/farkotten1akter.jpg

[Thad]

Good to see you here Per! Good work with the pictures.

[maa. melee]

Curious to know, what's the coating on the bottom and inside? Looks tar-ish.

[Per]

Outside covered with thick sticky tar normally used on paperclad roofs. Inside painted, almost every spring I guess, with what in free translation could be called "Swedish mahogany". That is three equal parts of "Swedish tar", cooked lineseed oil, and turpentine.
Sometimes somebody got a fit of vanity and painted the widest boards and the transom with traditional oil paint.

[Blekingseka]

Per, wow, that Blek looks pretty mature I'd say. Looks like it still floats though. The retained structure of the boat in spite of its missing transom is a testament to the strength of the old lapstrake construction. If you can find any pictures or links, I would love to see what a 40 foot Blekingseka looks like!

Scarfed and Glued up the other garboard this weekend. It's all marked for cut out.

For anyone:
Because the tail end of the garboards are cut to featheredge, and the fastenings seem like they will be taking a lot of pressure, I'm considering attatching some sort of blocky support piece to the front edge of the sternpost, and then fastening through the planks into it. It would serve as a sort of framing peice like a breasthook that pushes out on the plank, supporting its angle and twist, as well as taking a bit of stress off of the screws in the tapering end of the plank. Any one ever seen or done something similar?

[Per]

The photos are more than 40 years old (good colour still today), and the boat doesn´t exist any more. It was probably built in the 19.th century. I used it in the nineteenhundredsixties. I´ll send you a picture of the transom in due time. I keep that as a souvenir on the wall in my study.
Now I will try to send a picture of a traditional blekingseka-rudder nailed on the wall of my daughter´s fishing hut in Blekinge.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/Roder.jpg

[Per]

Here is the transom that was missing on an earlier picture.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/P1010023.jpg
Behold the item that makes the whole difference between a blekingseka and any other boat.

[Blekingseka]

Well there's an artifact worth keeping!
Are you referring to the uniqueness of the Blekingseka because it is a boat with a transom as opposed to a true double-ender even when at the waterline and below it really functions as a true double-ender?
I'm also interested in how the planks meet with the bottom edge of your transom. The instructions I got from Karlskrona told me that the planks come in sqarely to a v-shaped rabbet cut in the bottom edge of the transom. Yours looks more like a cove cut in the bottom edge of the transom, and the plank ends would be rounded off (bead+cove). Am I seeing your transom correctly?

We steamed the opposite garboard tonight. It's clamped up nicely and awaiting it's final fairing. Boy that stuff cools down fast when it comes out of the box! The clamping up is intense, and white oak is surely not the easiest wood to work with. And clamping all those silly angles is a major puzzle! I'll be thrilled when the garboards are done!

[seo]

Two woods that make good planking stock, and are available cheap in Minnesota, are Elm and Burr oak. Thirty years ago, when all the elms in Minneapolis were dying, they'd pay you to take this very nice wood away.
Burr oak has a very complex interlocked grain that makes it hard to work, and so nobody wants it. But a large percentage of the native oaks in central MN are burr oak. It steams ok, works hard, better with abrasives than knives. But it won't split the way white oak will.
seo

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the tip SEO. We have plenty of all of those around here. There are even a few nice elms still making it. We do have some Burr oak stock to use for framing and such. We usually combine the white and the burr in our storage because the properties are so similar.

[Per]

The shape of the aft with its pointed end underwater and very leaning transom above water is crucial to the whole concept of the blekingseka design.
I will come back to that.
Here is another try to show the transom from another angle. You may find it interesting to take a closer look at the paper that i accidentally choosed to put in the background for better contrast.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/P1010002.jpg

[Blekingseka]

Thanks Per, that view along with the sketch helps out a ton! I suppose the tapering beveled tip of the plank allows for better fastening into through the transom.
Do you know what sort of paper is placed between the planks with the tar. We will be using dolphinite, but it is somewhat similar to the tar. I'm just wondering what purpose the paper serves. Does the paper act similar to cotton caulking which expands a bit to help make the boat watertight?
I'm imagining some sort of newsprint type paper, and I would have thought that a strand or two of cotton string caulking or even cotton batting would provide a more durable and longer-lived caulking.

[Per]

If I were you I would go for the cotton caulcing.

[seo]

I have been told (don't know) that a lot of big english open boats were planked with "rock elm," and that this came from Canada, and is about the same stuff that grows in northern US. Minnesota would qualify as that. I've worked with it some. It's a bitch to saw and plane, once again, interlocking grain. Steams/bends okay, takes fastenings well, doesn't split. Rot? dunno.

[Blekingseka]

yeah, Per, tonight my inclination is to dissuade you from using oak for your planking if you make a Blekingseka, and use Fir instead, but wait until we're done and you might get a more realistic evaluation.
We are having a heck of a time getting this oak to behave. Trying to clamp on two garboards at the same time is nuts. I think we'll have to attatch one, and then figure out the next. The oak is still so springy even after steaming that it takes a lot of clamping pressure, and even forces the bolted keelson to slide over a bit and stick out on the opposite side.

One recent tool discovery: We got a few little tiny 2" thumb planes real cheap at Fleet Farm (The Man's Mall), and because of the short, thin base and narrow blade, you can actually get some decent planing in on curved wood in tight spots where a spokeshave can't get (like our attatched keelson). And these tiny planes are really easy to adjust the blade depth quickly! I've actually been using mine to fine tune the bevels on the planking edges because I'm constantly needing to adjust blade depth. Also, when working on a rolling bevel, the thumb plane is small enough to cross your thumbs over and use your other fingers to slide along both sides of the plank to brace for a fair roll.

[Per]

I never actually steamed a plank myself yet, but I´ve read a lot, taken a close look at the equipment, seen the work done on the TV, and followed the entire work on the east indiaman götheborg via a webcamera.
I have made the following observations:
They try to insulate their steamboxes.
They try to use boilers to get great amounts of really hot steam.
Most important of all: They work extremely fast when bending and fixing the hot planks. It seems like they rehearse the handgrips, plan every movement, and then try to be as many persons as possible there when taking out and fixing the plank. It´s done in a "nick of time" I believe you say in english.
If I ever get this far I´ll work in fir, and tis is one of the reasons.
However. Don´t dispair, difficulties are there to be overcome.
You will be proud afterwards.
By the way: the paper I referred to, to lay between the boards is thick and spongy more like a carpet and circa 1 mm thick.
The oldies couldn´t get perfect fit between the planks either.

[Per]

History and design principles of the Blekingseka as interpreted and told by Per.

Blekinge: A province in south Sweden. Capitol Karlskrona, the big marine centre and navy shipyard in Sweden.
Eka: Originally meant a boat hollowed out from an oak-log. Today it means any small row- or sailboat.
Blekingseka: A very special boatdesign and very locally connected to Blekinge, size ranging from 10 to 40 foot, today mostly between 13-15 foot.
Why oak? Oak grows in Blekinge, and big warships have been built there for centuries, so the knowledge was and is there.

Who came up with the design in the first place?
Some say: “THE VIKINGS DID IT!”
Others say: “Some British Naval Architect Did It.” during a coffebreak between two warships I guess.
Others again claim: “local boatwrights and fishermen did it out of need and necessity”
Circumstantial evidence hints that there might be a grain of truth in all the theories.

Design principles:
The Blekingseka was originally designed for fishing on the open sea off the coast of Blekinge and east Scania.
This was in a time when sails were square, men could not swim (“swimming only prolongs the agony when drowning”) and weather forecasts were only available from the occasional local wizard.
When (not if) you got hit by a storm out there you had no other options than to sail along with the wind and waves.
It was of course essential that the boat did not get filled with water by the waves, and here comes the first and essential pecularity of this boat-type. The boat is built like a double ender under the waterline but through very twisted boards and a backwards leaning transom above the waterline the wave will hit the hull from beneath and lift the boat instead of soaking it. This works perfectly and the boat rides the waves like a resting bird.
The rudder is rather big and easily detachable. To secure that it doesn´t get lifted off by the waves there are two small holes in the transom and one in the rudder. A rope through these holes secures the rudder.
Now the waves get bigger and there is a risk that the boat starts surfing and digs into the wave in front of you. Therefore there is a little extra buoyancy put into the bow of the boat.
The situation worsens and you want to take down the rig. It is fastened with simple fastlocks that makes it possible to get it all down with a few grips.
You tie something heavy in a rope and throw overboard to slow down the speed, but now the big rudder gets dangerous. Luckily enough the securing rope now will help you to not lose the rudder while taking it inboards.
If the storm continues long enough you will finally end up with a forced landing on a shore you have not been able to choose. Since you can´t swim (remember) any foot further up on terra firma before you must jump will be worthful. How lucky then that the stem is sloping and allows the boat to ride up on the shore.
Behold! A practical boat that is a real lifesaver. The Blekingseka.
They never saw a reason to change the concept so the design remains. The rigging has been changed though. Many times.
Finally, after the forced landing there might be need for repairs. Great luck then that the boat is built quite crudely so the repairwork not will need too much skill and refinement.

What made the boat-type obsolete?
The special aft doesn´t work well with a motor. It was easier to design new boat-types for motors.
Motors and weather forecasts became available during the time between the world wars, and this ment the end for the Blekingseka as a workboat. Therefore big ones are extremely rare today, 2006.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for that great lesson on the Blekingseka Per! Excellent explanations. I would love to see a picture of how the rope is fed through the rudder and tied into the transom. I would imagine one stopper knot on one end but how would you fasten the other end? A clete? Another knot? If you run across a picture that would be great. Aren't the holes pictured in the transom above for the bolts fastening the transom to the sternpost?
Update: After much mental stress and a few superficial wounds to my hands, the garboards are now fastened! There really are no clamps that work well for this job. On the aft plank ends coming in to the sternpost: after one plank is fastened, there is no way to use any sort of clamp to draw the opposite springy board to the sternpost. I am so sick of clamps that slowly slide and then pop our of place. Too many angles to clamp, and planed white oak is really slick! We had to rig up a few blocks, clamping pads, and a clamp and use a 2x4 to lever the plank end into place. And then we still had to let the screws draw in the plank that last tiny bit. Don't underestimate the springy strength of 15mm of white oak planking!
And by the way, every time I open the can, I feel like someone is ripping us off by repackaging peanut-butter as so-called 'dolphinite'. But it seems like great stuff anyway.
Pictures coming soon.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Looking forward to the pictures.

[Per]

Ropehole through rudder can be seen on picture #81.
I´ll find out a way to demonstrate the holes in the transom. ( Have no pic. of my own.) My own eka didn´t have those holes. On small boats they sometimes used an oar for steering wich ment no use for holes. Don´t ask me how they applied the oar. I haven´t seen it but those who know better than I say so.
The rope might very well be fastened with a cleat in one end since it must be let out a yard or two to allow for lifting the rudder inboards. That´s the whole point.
More later.

[Per]

Here is a picture of my rocking chair. It didn´t turn out very well but You might find the poster in the background interesting. It´s an artists impression of a traditional Blekingseka. I guess it´s quite small although it has six boards instead of the normal five for small examples. Please notice that the mast has no other stays than the forestay. This goes for the smallest versions.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/P1010022.jpg

[Blekingseka]

Ooh, for a second you almost made me second guess my plans to forbid any paint on my boat. That white top strake with the dark gunwale looks pretty sharp! I think I'll have to do a painting or print of my boat when I'm done.
Here are some pics:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/pcd08004b640218991aa2783f556e5f7c/eca6f75a.jpg
replaced some bad knot areas with more stock. Just a through-hole would have been much simpler, but would have left a lot of exposed endgrain.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/p2644d104d00d6c68c344758219029b4d/eca6f750.jpg
Cut out and patched up two knots, (plugs in bottom right of picture). Using a file was much easier than any cutting blade. Took a few minutes for me to realize that leaving the file/rasp on the table and holding the wood in my hand was easier than holding the file.. yeah yeah I know..
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/pbef814d877200da97b2c8c99504ea004/eca6f75b.jpg
Finished off nice enough for us! Glued with 5200.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/p0bf935ced355deec967decbf282e5ebe/eca6f75c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/p7270d8fe5e7fe5b13a5d428c4a027868/eca6f714.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/pb543374d77df04f1a7d47d3379f575ac/eca6f70e.jpg
No more clamps!!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/p70a33205c532f577b4088bea73968e28/eca6f17d.jpg
And of course the peanut-butter sealer.

[Per]

Gee Am I impressed!!
Craftmanship is good to look at.

[Per]

By the way. Have You seen a boatswain´s whistle?
Here´s a photo of my sample. It isnt that good but you might find the boatsketches interesting. They show Blekingsekor (plural form) of different size and with different rigging. The biggest one even has a cabin. I wouldn´t advice you to even think of square sails. They are tricky and even dangerous. Risk of capsizing.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/P1010020.jpg

[Blekingseka]

Nice 'boatswain's whistle' Per. Question: What is this book that you 'supposedly' have somewhere with Blekingseka sketches and stuff. Is the book primarily on Blekingsekas? What is the title, and is there anywhere I could get a copy?
For anyone out there: How much stock do I need to add (if any) to my spiled plank measurements to take the bending stretch into account? Am I right in thinking that a 15mm thick plank is going to need to be a bit longer than a 4mm spiling batten to achieve the same curve. Is there some formula for this? Is this completely unnecessary? I just don't want to be short of stock and then have to slide the plank further down towards the keel to get a good fit. If I don't get any response on that one, I'm just gonna leave a little extra on both ends and take it off bit by bit.

[Per]

Yes I have a small "library" of texts and pictures about the Blekingseka but it´s not that easy. The "library" is mainly old newspaper articles, exhibition programmes, and even scientific articles so old that I don´t know how to trace them. However there is one sketchbook, the one with the different sized boats that might be achievable. I´ll check that out.
Will be back.

[Per]

The name of the artist is: Signar N Bengtson
Title: BLEKINGSEKAN
Year: 1982
He didn´t publish it by any publishing house, but had it printed himself.
Cosequently the book has no ID number to search by.
The book appears sometimes, seldom, on network auctions but is immediately sold. Not very expensive though.

It would be very easy for me to scan it and publish on the network but you may not be aware of the recent development in copyright around here.

Filesharing have become a great hobby in Sweden, so big that one day Mr Walt rose from his grave, gathered some of his colleagues in Hollywood and went to MR GEORGE for a serious talk. Said George called for the Swedish prime minister and pressed a thumb hard into his eye saying: "Have a scapegoat identified, prosecute, scentence, and fine him so hardly that all Sweden learns not to play with copyrights, especially not Mr Walts." It was done.

I am an ordinary man and can not afford to play with this. Therefore I hide in a fools disguise and take badly composed pictures with my lousy camera.
Being a fool is not yet a crime as far as I know.

[Per]

I didn´think that the picture of my whistle came out very well so i have taken a new one.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/P1010021.jpg
By the way, in this picture can also be seen how the forestay and sidestays where fastened on traditional blekingsekor.
Exceptionally simple and easily adjustable. These were used up to the size when the rig became too cumbersome to handle for one person at sea.

[Per]

Something I found on the network.
It is entirely in swedish but the pictures and sketches might be funny.
The museum in question is by the way located in Scania, adjacent to Blekinge.

http://www.foteviken.se/art_50_99/viking_art72.htm

Maybe a little explanation is needed, to accompany the sketches.
They store the boards in water during the building process.
They use a "false" board made of masonite to check out its shape before cutting the board in size.
When it is time to "steam" a board they heat it on a charcoal bed. They sometimes water the board during the process if it gets too dry.

[Blekingseka]

Cool sketches on that site once I found my way around. Obviously an entirely different stye of boat, but it shows diagrams of stuff like the tarred cloth/paper layer that is used in the more traditional boats.
Interesting bending process. Why keep the timber in water constantly? Is it easier to work? I think I successfully ordered the book on Blekingsekas introduced by Per. Took only a search on the net. Only found one copy though I think. Wonder what shipping from Sweden is?
Haven't had much time on the boat for a week or so. Took a trip to New England. Kennebunkport, Rockland, Newport, Mystic.
The 3rd plank is cut out and beveled, just need to get the length right and then we can bend it.

[Per]

Congratulations to your finding a copy!

I went to the maritime museum yesterday for other reasons.
They had nothing but science work. To much trouble to acsess.

I wonder also why they keep the wood under water.
Either it remains more workable or it is a way to prevent it from taking fire while on the charcoal bed. Perhaps both.
In an old report I read that before steam-boilers became accessible they normally heated the boards over fire.
There they said nothing about soaking the boards. Maybe they thought it was evident?
The change came about a hundred years ago.

[Per]

I was looking in my bookshelf for something to read when I suddenly realized that I have a book about the Helga Holm, the boat you saw in the Stockholm stream. I had forgotten.
It tells the whole story about how the boat was found and how the replica was projected and built in traditional manners.
The book is naturally in swedish but it has 120 sides, and I think more than one sketch per side. There are also photos and a painting.
Considering your ongoing project and your interest, I think you would find this book very interesting and informative. It is more or less like an artistically illustrated introduction into medeival boatbuilding in nothern Europe. You will understand it!
There is also a simple drawing with the main measurements.
Title:
HelgaHolm Ett skepp i det medeltida Stockholm
Text: Tore Hallén
Teckningar: Björn Berg
ISBN 91-7588-095-4
Publisher: Dagens Nyheters Förlag

[Blekingseka]

Book arrived. Nice sketches and diagrams. Even of some pretty decent sized ekas. Just need to brush up more on my Norsk/Svensk to be able to read it.

Per, do you have any connections for somewhere I can find some bronze rudder hardware (pintles and gudgeons). Bleks have a fairly specialized hardware. Top gudgeon mounted on transom, bottom on sternpost. And I love the long straps on the rudder pintles.

Close to having the 3rd plank completely fit, and the opposite plank is scarfed, marked, and ready for cutout.

Out of curiousity, does anyone know if adding copper pipe chunks or nails in the steambox water pot will increase the heating surface area and increase the boiling efficiency??

[Per]

Glad you have the book now!
I´ll try to establish contact with the navy museum in Karlskrona.
A relative of mine has had his hunting canoe (another unique blekinge-boattype) repaired at a boatbuilding school in Blekinge.http://www.pontuslindqvist.se/galleriet/show_image.php?dir=images/2006/04_april/ungskar/&image=20060415195052_000568_20D2.jpg#
Somewhere someone knows.
About overheating the steam. I don´t think it is worth the effort.
You need a real boiler.
About oak as building material compared to fir.
I´m right now reading a book about traditional boatbuilding in the Stockholm area. There they claim that one reason why they used fir in Stockolm was because it could stand ice better than oak.
I´ll be back

[Per]

Look what i found:
www.stensund.skerry.net/htm/2004/batar/blekinge.htm (http://www.stensund.skerry.net/htm/2004/batar/blekinge.htm)
Seems like they haven´t come further than You.
Or maybe these guys are better at building boats than comminucating on the net.
Be sure to press the different titles within brackets below.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks Per, I just emailed the school and am hoping to set up a dialogue with the builders. I did find out that their Blekingseka has been finished for about 2 years now.

[JC 72]

Wow, you guys are doing very nice work. Per your links and photos have been fantastic. Makes me home sick to go back to Sweden, and then build a Blekingseka myself. Keep up all the pics. I've got relatives coming at the end of the month, perhaps I can get them to bring a copy of that book. Tusen Tack, John Carlsson

[Blekingseka]

Will do!
By the way guys. My boss recorded a History Channel Special during work today on building a Norwegian Longboat. Faering Oselvar I think. It was quite good. Beautiful! Not sure if I'd be willing to pay the 25$ or not to get the recorded 50 minute dvd from their site 'Store', but if you're interested. Search for:
"Vivking Longboat DVD" In the History Channel Store Yes I know Viking is spelled wrong, but it's wrong on their site, so you won't find it if you spell it correctly!
Made me jealous of working with nice, soft, clear Doug Fir!

[Blekingseka]

We've finally finished the broadstrakes. Little things just kept adding up to take a lot of time. Had to do a few more repair spots where some tricky knots were. Riveting the planks together wasn't too bad, though it was sometimes difficult to find a good hammering position from under the boat amidst the station molds. Yet another reason to build these rightside-up!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p6db5fa17d401b1b4523e2cb29e916744/ebfee982.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p2f0acc86df36dab077fa931494d856fe/ebfee931.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p408560225a6d0101302613cffcf73754/ebfee980.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p772fac9b4f4298e161bd794663b3d5d4/ebfee981.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p7a479762843caaf3f11b49da91366d37/ebfee983.jpg

[Per]

Gee!
It´s like seeing my old long lost friend (slowly) coming to life again.

[Per]

I got a mail from one of the boatbuilders in the marine museum in Karlskrona.
I think you might have fun training your swedish on this one.

Roderbeslag means rudder-brackets/hinges.
He recommends Träbåtsakuten (emergency reception) especially.

Hej Per.

Angående roderbeslag till Blekingsekan, så följer här några länkar som kanske kan vara till nytta. Själv hittade jag inga beslag på de första tre men man kan kanske efterlysa genom dessa firmor. Träbåtsakutens länksida innehåller de flesta länkar av värde i detta sammanhang. Om det inte hjälper så återstår Bertil Andersson.
Han dokumenterar allmogebåtar och säljer ritningar i första hand, men är även en duktig båtbyggare. Kontakta gärna honom och se om han kan hjälpa dig.

Lycka till
/Jörgen

http://www.nauticraft.se/ - udda tillbehör till gamla båtar


http://www.batmats.nu/ - seconhandbutik för båttillbehör


http://www.tackel-skeppshandel.nu/ - Råseglarhuset, Sthlm


http://www.trabatsakuten.nu/ - länksidan

http://www.batritningar.se (http://www.batritningar.se/) - Bertil Andersson, Björkenäs 4:20, 373 00 JÄMJÖ
Telefon: 0455 - 59027
Email: bertil.andersson@batritningar.se (https://mail.glocalnet.net/cp/ps/Mail/ViewMsgController?d=glocalnet.net&u=pob&an=Glocalnet&t=d1195&fp=INBOX&uid=186#)
Med vänliga hälsningar/
Jörgen Svensson
Fartygsenheten
Marinmuseum / Naval Museum
STATENS MARITIMA MUSEER / NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUMS
Marinmuseum / Naval Museum
Lev. adress:
Stumholmen SE-371 32 Karlskrona
Fakt. adress
Box 48 SE-371 21 Karlskrona
Tel. +46 (0)455 35 93 45
Mobil. +46 (0)709-185 003
Fax. +46 (0)455 35 93 49
jorgen.svensson@maritima.se (https://mail.glocalnet.net/cp/ps/Mail/ViewMsgController?d=glocalnet.net&u=pob&an=Glocalnet&t=d1195&fp=INBOX&uid=186#)
www.marinmuseum.se (http://www.marinmuseum.se/)

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the tips Per. I looked them over and I don't think it's looking too promising but we'll see. I have emailed a little bit with Classic Marine and we may be able to make some of their products work. The Guys at Batritningar suggest having them custom made, but it's more common these days to get them in stainless steel. I'll keep trying.
We're almost done steambending the 5th and 6th planks. Pictures soon.

[pcford]

I'd like to point out to the original poster that at least some of the advice he has been getting is appropriate for boats on this side of the pond but not for Scandavian boatbuilding.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks pcford. quite true. You may note (if you have gone through the entire thread). That a lot of the advice has been given/exchanged/debated throughout the process.
Update: We have the 5th and 6th planks nearly ready to go on. Just finished the fitting. Before we attatch these ones we need to figure out cutting some gains one the outside edges so the next 2 planks come in flush with these when they arrive at the bottom angle of the transom.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pff07af0273b249a403f15e21d8ce6916/eb9afffe.jpg
Spiling

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p385deb78389bf5017e21846f910c27f7/eb9affff.jpg
I think our shop is shrinking!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p1660a72b31c782429c4ac593867981a6/eb9afffd.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p0e483913dbee922f50c4b42031d33236/eb9afffc.jpg
We've been steaming the planks in halves (takes 2 days per full plank). We didn't want to build a HUGE steambox to take the full length planks. It's been working quite well. It's less hectic to just worry about getting half of the plank clamped on really well. After 24 hours we just spin the plank around and stick the other end in.

[Blekingseka]

We've finally attatched planks number 5 and 6. At this point, if we had been building an oselvar we would be finished! Not so for the Blekingseka, but we've only got 4 more planks to go. It's sure rewarding to see it come together. The novelty of crawling under that boat to do the peening of the rivets is finally wearing off. We have way too many station molds and braces in there to be comfortable! We decided to go ahead and attach before cutting the gains for the next planks because we haven't figured out a good way to clamp these twisted planks to a work bench. We figured that fastened, they are at least stationary.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/pccc8db9d84aa5851ce3c3bdd6279d598/eb4e0446.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/pd260d13069e4c17ae3cc1f80ac44dd10/eb4e044a.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/p711851fd7fad3d1affaa6213187df0af/eb4e044b.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/p877ca8aedbff97d1ef122b93c33962ad/eb4e0344.jpg

Now we'll hopefully get to work on the spars while we're waiting for more planking stock to dry. I've also been reading up on sailmaking. Per, if you are still around, do you have any detail shots or diagrams of how the Blekingseka rigging is run?

(For anyone) In particular, I'm wondering how the mainsail lacing works with a halyard up at the top on one of these traditionals. And do I need a second halyard for the Jib? My plans show the luff boltrope of the Jib being the same thing as the headstay. Also, with a laced mainsail, how does one reef the sail up next to the mast? Does one have to unlace everything up to the reef cringle before moving the downhaul? Or maybe I'm way off and you dont lower sails on these boats at all, just unhook them and roll them up on the mast.?
Thanks all!

[Per]

I have some articles on spritsails.
Unfortunatly only in swedish.
Will look through and come back.

[Per]

don´t have much time for the moment
strongly suggest that you try to buy issue 117 of träbiten
Nr 117-2002-10-30, ISSN 0347-0652
text in swedish but you can ask me later in case of need
positive experience guaranteed
whole issue about spritsails on small traditional boats

[Per]

On traditional rigging of small wooden boats in Sweden. By Per.

While the design-rules, printed or not, for different boat-types along the long Swedish coast have been quite strict, rigging has been more liberal.
Boat owners have always experimented to satisfy special needs and preferences.
However, in the long run the sprit-sail turned out to be the most common.
For small boats the unstayed mast with a “flying” jib is the preferred version.
What is then small? Good question.
As long as one person could raise the mast single-handed it was considered small.
When the mast became so heavy that stays were needed they made use of the handy fasteners that can be seen on picture nr 103
The observant reader may comment that with these fasteners they couldn´t tighten the stays properly. Right, they did accept some slack.
Why unstayed masts?
Well, you could choose to sail or row. When rowing the rig was just in the way so you left it at home.
It was also a good thing to keep the rig under roof when not in use.
In emergency you could throw it overboard.
The mast bent in hard weather which took the edge out of nasty gusts.
There was a good chance that the mast broke before capsizing. A safety device.
Why did they count with the risk of capsizing?
The boat had no ballast keel. The boat was kept in balance mainly by people and cargo properly distributed in the boat. This left room for mistakes and accidents.
Most often the mainsail was tied to the mast with a rope as on the plan.
This was not easily adjusted when sailing, and reefing was a problem.
A common alternative was to make use of hoops.
The most convenient way however seems to have been replacing the hoops with straps that could easily be opened or closed according to how high the sail was set.
The simplest way was of course to just sail as daring as your nerves allowed and when you reached he limit just take the whole rig down. Then you needed no reefing devices.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the info and recommendations Per. I emailed Tråbiten asking about that back issue on Spritsails. I also did a lot of reading in the Emiliano Marino book ' The Sailmaker's Apprentice', and studied the 'Woodenboat' back issue #165 which has a couple of good articles on Sprit Rigs. I still haven't decided whether I want to have a full halyard or not, but I've got some ideas now.
One thing that I did decide was that I'm gonna wait to make the sail until the rest of the boat is completed. I'd like to go through the entire process of finding the boat's center of lateral resistance and the sail's center of effort (on a plan) and be sure that the lead between them is right and that proportions are good. As I studied our set of plans, I found that the pictured sail setup may not be very efficient. One example is the relationship of the Jib to the Mains'l. The Jib is substantially lower than the Main, which means that it is directing wind to go underneath instead of into the Main. There may be room for improvement.
In other news: we've cut the gains in preparation for the next planks as they come in to the transom. We cut about a 12" long gain that (would) taper to a feather-edge at the transom, but we cut off a few inches of the thinnest part of taper so we wouldn't be worrying about that fragile feather-edge. This is a technique used by the guys at the Stensund Folkschool in Sweden on their Blek. Here are our Gains:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/p3f9797dcf8e17a56fa52dc455ed78722/eb35dbd1.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/p1a98e57372748bd8affd4e6cae2234bf/eb35dbd0.jpg

Lesson of the day: Very sharp rabbet plane blades are a definite MUST!

[Blekingseka]

I am simply appalled that I didn't know about this ship before today. I just found it through some random searching. It's called Havhingsten (Sea Stallion). An amazingly huge and accurate viking ship replica built in Denmark (Danmark). Go check out the site all, (and be prepared to spend some time there. Quite the photos and multimedia.
www.havhingsten.dk They (being over a 60 person crew) have been touring around Scandinavia in '06, and are heading for Ireland this March.

[Per]

Träbiten, play with words, can be interpreted as a piece of wood or as being stung by the "wood bug".
This is a periodical issued by Föreningen Allmogebåtar, freely translated: "The folk boat association".
Not to be mixed with the Folkboat wich is a modern one-type leisure-boat.
The association works through more than a dozen workgroups (literally) along the swedish coast.
The main place is an old wharf in Uddevalla on the west coast.
This kind of associations are in Sweden entirely volontary and means, except pride and joy, only costs and hard work for the members. Donors are not visible even by the horizon. However the society may in rare cases contribute as a means for work market policy. Education that is.
Membership is open for anybody and costed 2002, 175SKR per year.
Something like 25 USdollars.
Membership includes issues of the periodical Träbiten. About 4 yearly.
The publication is circa 8 inches in square and contains circa 35 sides.
There are illustrations in drawings and photographs b/w and colour.
Articles are of very high standard about boat-types, ongoing projects and events.
Everything written in Swedish. An interested english-talking person may get out the essential I think.

Address: Föreningen Allmogebåtar
Box 6046-Bassholmen
S-451 06 UDDEVALLA
Sweden

http://www.allmogebatar.nu

[Blekingseka]

I am having trouble deciding which sail color to go with. The material is 4oz. Richard Hayward 'Sunwing Classic' dacron.
I would love to hear as much feedback as possible, but please don't feel snubbed if I end up choosing different from your pick! I think both colors look really great. (That's why this is difficult for me).

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/p845befc74767decb296dec327abe1d13/eaf568fc.jpg
egyptian creme

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/p903a6ff7b967380bdf9925d518366aa1/eaf568fd.jpg
tanbark

thanks guys

[StevenBauer]

I vote for the cream. :) Great thread, keep it coming.

Steven

[Rick Starr]

I like cream too, and I think tanbark is overdone, except when the sails go with a dark hull such as yours. Then the combination of tanbark sails and dark hull looks really great.

[Blekingseka]

I think a decision has been reached!
We're planning on going with the tanbark (in spite of how classy I think the creme looks). Thanks for the input guys!
We decided that the tanbark sails would make the boat feel more like a pillaging and plundering boat. More agressive and intriguing maybe. Besides that, I am told that the tanbark may age nicer, and look cleaner. Plus, the tanbark has just a little less surface resin so it's a little softer to work with than the creme. I agree that tanbark is sometimes overused, but I don't think that will be too much of a problem around here in southeast MN. I don't think I've EVER seen tanbark sails around here.
thanks again guys!

[Blekingseka]

Well, we've found what will hopefully add up to being the rest of our planking stock. While we are watching the slow drying process of the stickered stack of WO boards in our garage, we are continuing to plan the sail, and we have almost completed the rudder hardware.

Finding the ideal bronze pintles and gudgeons turned out to be a fool's errand, so we decided to go ahead and make some patterns ourselves and have a local foundry cast some. They really needed to be the right size and thickness. It didn't help that we were working from a metric boat design. We also wanted the visual effect (and functionality) of the extra long pintle straps on the rudder. Plus, one gudgeon was transom mounted, while the other was mounted on a 3.5cm thick sternpost. So having them custom cast turned out to be the ideal situation anyway.
The pattern pintles and gudgeons are made from scrap butternut, some softwood dowel, and wood glue. In the future I would use something other than wood glue due to its seemingly poor sanding characteristics. I used it somewhat as a filler as well. It eventually worked, but it tended to gum up instead of sanding away nicely as a dust. Or maybe I didn't let it completely cure.
Pictures of the casting and finished hardware coming soon!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/pea26d5db1c011d13a114fb54ca0f7239/ead8fc7d.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/p5d768247ec14d7eca30e22a032361adc/ead8fc7e.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/p4ba9d86ac1d1dc9028d2640f1eee4aca/ead8fc7c.jpg

[Per]

:DEvery project has waiting times and even boring times.
No fun to look at wood drying for instance. Need for a pastime and some relaxation.
Came to think about a book that might interest anyone who is interested in the viking era, sailing and the life of northeners.
The book is a novel about Orm, a viking from Scania, and his friend Toke from Listerlandet, in the homeland of the blekingseka.
The book is very funny and gives a fairly realistic description of the time when christianity was spreading from Germany and England to Denmark and Sweden.
I think I can guarantee great enjoyment.
Don´t mind the foolish picture on the envelope, and forget if you ever heard about the movie version. That´s all American crap.
The book is MUCH better.

Title: "The long ships."
Author: Frans G Bengtsson
ISBN 0-00-612609-X
Written in the 1940ties
First published in english by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd 1954.

[Blekingseka]

Still waiting for that oak to dry. Had the rudder hardware poured. Everything turned out fine. The pintles must have had some bubbles in the tips, so they are slightly shorter than my patterns were, but still completely functional. Took a little work with a dremel, belt sander, and rotary drill sander to polish them up, and then we drilled and countersunk for the screws and for the holes in the gudgeons. I think they turned out quite nice. We may begin on the spars soon, and after I get my tax refund we should be able to get some sailcloth in here.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid224/pe7b93869769f3ef77ea87c69d75c797e/ea940243.jpg
sand molds for the gudgeons

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid224/p266a014f384033095cfe8b80f71e9ae3/ea940240.jpg
the unworked product

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid224/p6387ec2e65faa7c1a9977832369e3386/ea940242.jpg
polished up

[Thad]

Good job. The hardware and the boat!

[Per]

As an old mechanist I congratulate youto the good outcome.
Well done!

[Blekingseka]

The planking stock is only down to about 17.5% moisture content. Needs a bit more time. Meanwhile the Rudder is finished and the mast is tapered and rounded (6cm. diameter tapered to 4 cm., 340 cm. long with a few feet extra left on for now). Used the table saw to take off the initial 45's, jointer to smooth up, then jointer to take off some more corners with the fence at 22 degrees. Then it's hand planes and drill-belt-sanding. It's a pretty springy spar; shake it and it shakes back!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p07ff5bb65019101701d535a60e4ec824/ea108e08.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pb414aed67fb6c32c577d20845dd6e000/ea108e09.jpg

[Blekingseka]

So there are the garboards, the broadstrakes, and the sheerstrakes, but what do you call the others in-between?

Sorry for the slow progress. We have officially begun again. our planking stock finally finished drying in the garage-shop, now we're just coordinating boatbuilding time with all of the other summer reponsibilities. Today we had our second steaming session on the second-to last-set of planks. That means we cook 1/2 of one plank, clamp it on while the cooker stays hot, and then do 1/2 of the opposite plank. Then a few days later we repeat the process with the other halves. Coming together nicely. The steambox sure heats up faster in this 90 degreee humid weather compared to the bitter cold and dry wintertime. It's beginning to look like more and more like a viking ship.
Does anyone know any good ways to go pillaging and plundering without getting in too much trouble?
By the way, I recommend checking out the website of the Estonian 'Lodi' boat that was in the latest Woodenboat. Great rough construction! http://www.lodi.ee/ Click on 'Fotod' for photos, you have to do some wading through lots of albums, but it's worth it if you have the time.

Here's a few of our latest:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pad9f0334873fd6f1f7b4a9abb7d37a81/e864f146.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p7f9be2535787896bfda76d0f55601e0b/e864f144.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc32bd69af4651e79e032949043974a96/e864f145.jpg

[StevenBauer]

Looking good! Thanks for the update.

Steven

[Ron Paro]

Gabe,
Thanks for sharing your learning and building experiences with us. It looks like you and your dad are doing some fine work!
Ron

[Blekingseka]

The... we shall call them the "upper-middle strakes" for now... are now fastened. The bedding and fastening took nearly an entire Saturday as well as every ounce of our energy. I swear I will never build a tradition riveted boat upside-down again!!
We have the transom finished as well. The unique joints between the middle strakes and the transom are unique to this boat, and were actually simpler than I expected. It took a little figuring, but the table saw took care of the notch cut in the transom, and then a jigsaw and planes took care of the planking bevels.
On to the sheerstrakes.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p818a2db5376e901b78406979557fb3af/e8555857.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p185a870457ba1afa88b3cb202b614be0/e8555856.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pf7b845ae96901be9fb109d9c007a66a7/e8555854.jpg

[Eric D]

Keep up the good work, I can't wait to see it all completed and sailing.

[Per]

This is how the hard guys did it, on the shore, behind a rock, outdoors. The picture was taken before 1933.
Found this pic while in Blekinge on summer holiday.
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/Ekaunderbyggnad_edited.jpg (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/Ekaunderbyggnad_edited.jpg)

[Blekingseka]

An earlier post by Per showed a painting of a Blek. with its sheerstrakes painted white. It looked pretty sharp to me so I am doing some playing around with that Idea. The boat will be mostly covered in boiled linseed oil and pine tar. Does the white sheerstrake look good to you guys? In my images I have mocked up a lighter colored boat and a darker colored one because over time the oil and tar mix will darken a bit.
If I was going to go for the white sheerstrake what would be the preparation? Could I still coat the planks in raw linseed oil for the time being until it was time to paint? Or maybe coat the entire boat with the oil and pine tar mix and then try to strip the tar off where the paint will go on? Oil and tar over the white paint? I'm just not sure about the process here. Would it work to add the paint later on after finishing the boat with oil and pine tar?? That may be the safest route if possible.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p21dd05fa7783ad04b3e70d1d9d632fef/e7db56e5.jpg

[Per]

My old eka, that must have been built more than 100 years ago, had this wide plank and the transom painted but in this case the colour was green.
If I were in your clothes I would not only look funny but I would treat the surfaces pending paint with boiled lineseed oil only.
The great advantage of raw lineseed oil is that, like tar, it really never dries. It only gets thicker over the years. I would expect problems when applying paint on such a surface.

It will look nice when finished. Found another photo.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/bottenskrapning.jpg

[Blekingseka]

So was that a vote 'For' or 'Against' the white sheerstrake??
I'm not so sure about the raw linseed oil being a problem yet. I know that in some oil painting you actually mix the paint with raw linseed oil before you even apply it. In theory, Oil is supposed to stick to Oil.

[Ron Paro]

I don't know anything at all about what is traditionally 'correct', but I'd vote 'For' the white sheerstrake. The contrast is nice. I would test the paint process options on scrap material before commiting it to the hull.

[Per]

There is no correct colour pattern.
Same as with rigging.
Rely on your own preferences.
Only the hull must be built in the "correct" manner to be accepted as a genuine blekingseka, and there you have made an excellent job.
On my old boat the painted surface was not protected with any topcoat.
Greetings!
Per.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the info and feedback. We're debating recipes for the pine-tar&oil mix. Some say 1 part PT to 3 parts Boiled Linseed, some say 1 part PT to 2 parts Boiled Linseed. And are there brands of pine tar we should steer clear of?

[Per]

I don´t know from where the pine-tar comes in the US of A.
Over here the European Union are trying to ban it entirely.
I can´t find bigger cans than 1 liter in the shops these days. And even they are not always to find.
The Swedish snuff powder is severely threatened and I fear that the pine-tar will go the same way.
For more information I strongly recommend to read an article about this in the August issue (nr197) of WoodenBoat magazine.

When it comes to proportions there are as many recipes as there are users. The ingredients are however always pine-tar, boiled lineseed-oil and turpentine. I suggest You make tests.

Good luck!

[Blekingseka]

I have read that article, and it sounded to me like the research done by the Norwegians showed that the pine-tar was NOT biocidal, and that therefore the EU would not ban it after all.

[Blekingseka]

After a little more research, and some help from both Kirby Paint and John Etheredge I have discovered the following:

-The difference between boiled and raw linseed oil is, largely, the addition of Japan dryers to the 'boiled' Linseed oil. This may explain the differing ingredient lists between many boat-soup recipes.

-John Etheredge has used the method of applying a number of coats of 1-1 Turps and Raw Linseed oil (the Turps should increase penetration into the wood), then gradually reducing the amount of Turps in the mix and increasing the amt. of Raw Linseed oil, then eventually adding the Pine Tar.

-Kirby Paint suggested the ratio of 1 pt. Pine Tar to 2 pt. Boiled Linseed oil for the eventual mix.

-Kirby Paint also informed me that as long as the raw oil has had time to soak in and dry reasonably, it can be painted over at a later time.

[Andrew]

Great thread. I don't know how I missed it till now.

I was thinking about your white sheerstrake and two thoughts came to mind. Mask out the registration number and/or the boat name before painting, to render them "natural". Second was the use of high reflective white for night visability, though the daytime appearance of some of those paints is not aesthetically appealing.

Keep posting

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the suggestion on the masking idea. I like that one a lot. It would look really sharp. I'll have to think about how to do that efficiently, whether with a masking tape field with lettering cut out, or maybe just apply vinyl lettering and then remove it after painting. I'd have to be really careful if I needed to recoat the white later on too.

[Blekingseka]

This is a test to see if Facebook.com works for hosting images. if you see a photo, then it does!
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v63/52/83/516640111/s516640111_219745_3234.jpg


Tada! (they are small, but it may work fine for most things) The photo is supposed to be blurry by the way.

[Blekingseka]

Here's the latest: All of the planks are on, as well as the rudder harware. We've got a preliminary coat of turps and linseed oil for protection, and we're preparing to flip!

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v133/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1316215_5018.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v133/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1316216_5276.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v133/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1316217_5518.jpg

[Jim Ledger]

Looks really good!:)

[Per]

Like balm for the eyes!!

[Michael Beckman]

I have just attempted to order these plans (http://www.batritningar.se/default.aspx?Language=EN&Currency=USD&Page=BoatplansDetails&Id=76), and hope to build a blekingseka as a school project. I am starting to think that I won't be able to finish the boat in the next 8 months, but I think I will be able to get far enough along to please the school system anyway. I was wondering what peoples opinions would be on building this boat out of cedar, rather than oak? I have cheap access to local cedar, but oak would be very expensive. Your boat looks great, and helped me make my decision to build a blekingseka.

[Daniel Noyes]

Blekingseka (http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/member.php?u=11277)
wow cool boat, you guy's have really done a nice job and must have learned a lot from the experience. In regards to Michaels question, how many hours do you have in the boat so far? I was noticing your first post is january of 2006, could the boat be built by a newbie in 8 months? I like the look of that wide high tucked transom, cant wait to see some photos in 15 knts of wind and sea with a big rolling bow wave etc. please keep the photos coming,
Dan
http://dansdories.googlepages.com vbmenu_register("postmenu_1662010", true);

[Blekingseka]

Thanks Dan, I can't wait either!
Michael, yes I think this boat could be built in 8 months under the right conditions. You would have to have ready access to fairly premium grade wood that is already dried (air dried), and this would have to be your primary job. So in a school setting that might work. An additional hand at times is also necessary. And like you said, if you didn't actually finish, you'd probably at least get far enough to satisfy the program requirements. I'm not sure about the cedar option. I went with the traditional oak because these boats were made to be tough and resilient workers that can be beat up a bit. In a book I've got old sketches of these things heaped high with cut firewood and in tow behind bigger ekas. On the cedar idea, I might run it by someone like Bob Smalser if you can get a hold of him. Sure would be easier to work! The planks have to be able to take a steam pretty well because there are some monster twists on this boat.
This boat is a 'trial by fire' kind of education, but is still possible, and I would highly recommend it. Besides, there ought to be a few more of these things in the states! As far as I know, I've got the first.
Ours is taking so long because we are busy with our paying jobs and various other things so we are left with just smatterings of work times here and there. That, and waiting for green wood to air dry is very time consuming.
If you've got more questions let me know. I'd love to hear what you decide.

[pipefitter]

Very nice work. Great thread/ pictures too. :)

[Michael Beckman]

I'll talk to a few local shipwrights about switching oak for cedar. I don't have any cheap sources for oak, so its going to be cedar no matter what I build. I could probably build the keel of purple heart for durability, its a fairly inexpensive wood around here. I haven't read through this thread completely yet, so I'm sorry if this has been asked, but what size planking are you using? I'm not sure what size I have available yet, but hopefully big enough to build this boat.

Oh, I just thought of another question. How did you order the plans? I used the online form, but it was in swedish so I'm not entirely sure everything went correctly. How did you pay for them? The site mentions bank transfer, and another option called plusgirot, which seemed rather confusing. I suppose going to my bank would be the easiest method, but I'm waiting for an email back after ordering.

[Per]

For private persons to send money between Sweden and the US of A is tricky business. Do not use checks! The banks here charge almost 100 USD for cashing in a US check.
Any advice you get in the US must be checked in advance that the Swedish monetary system will accept it. We are not a EURO-country.
Over here we small collectors and amateur craftsmen sometimes send banknotes in an envelope when it is small money.
Good luck!

By the way. It seems that you have a great variety of wood species available there in the US. In Sweden oak is oak and fir is fir.
Anyway, even here people hesitate to build new ekor (plural form) in oak. A common option is to make the "generic" choice in the Baltic region namely fir planking on oak. I believe that most new ekor are built like that today.

[Michael Beckman]

Hopefully they respond to my email soon, I imagine placing a phone call to Sweden would be an interesting experience. >__>

Oh, one more question. Are the plans in swedish? Also, what details are provided? I'm hoping theres a list of materials available, but I could do without that I suppose.

[Blekingseka]

Michael, the plans are in swedish and you get profile, half-breadth, body plan, frame diagrams, and plank shape diagrams, a final diagram with sail plan, and detail diagrams of the interior and exterior. There are no station molds marked on the plans. I would suggest building the traditional right side up method vs. what we did. That will add a whole new element to your training. With the plans comes a short list of a few specs such as fastenings and a few thicknesses, and yes everything is in Swedish. The planking is 15mm thick (you will be using metric exclusively on this one).
We worked out a bank transfer with Båtritningar, which meant an additional charge from the banks, but you have to do what you have to do. If you email with the guys at Båtritningar they will figure out how to translate and respond to you.
Out of curiosity, why did you choose this boat over say... an oselvar?

PS. We flipped the boat tonight... pictures soon!

[Michael Beckman]

I chose these plans because I found the lines to be pleasing, and your pictures showed me that this is the type of boat that I want. Another question that could be rather important, how wide of planking stock did you use? I'm not sure what size trees I have available yet. I guess I have someone willing to translate anything I need, so that will be very helpful. I've also requested a book from the library on Norse boatbuilding techniques. I'm very much looking forward to starting this project.

[Blekingseka]

For the 6 largest plank halves you'll need to start with stock about 275cm by 30cm. The other 14 pieces are slightly shorter and narrower. These are amazingly broad planks, and a few are quite oddly shaped.

[WCM]

We worked out a bank transfer with Båtritningar, which meant an additional charge from the banks, but you have to do what you have to do.

Can you please explain a little more? I'm interested in purchasing plan #5 Jaktkanot but couldn't really understand the payment directions.

Your Blekingseka is beautiful but beyond my capabilities, I'm afraid. I've been thinking of doing the Jaktkanot in ply with fewer frames.

Thanks.

[Per]

The Jaktkanot (huntingcanoe) is also a typical local boattype from Blekinge. It is intended for hunting birds with shotgun, and fishing with rod. This boattype is not very old. The idea may even be imported together with the habit of "gentlemens hunting" in the late nineteenth century. The boat is lovely to row and can also be equipped with a rig. If you look at the link in #105 in this thread there is a picture of an old teared and worn jaktkanot. The boattype is normally smaller, lighter and nimbler than the blekingseka. It is normally built in narrow planks of fir on oak frames. In spite of its name it is not suitable for paddling but has to be rowed. That is because the boat is wider than a normal canoe so one can stand up when shooting with the shotgun.

[WCM]

Thank you very much for the information. My very first real boatbuilding project will be Iain Oughtred's Elfyn faering which I am about to begin. If I manage to get through the Elfyn project, I would like to build the Jaktkanot at least as a scale model. There is something very pleasing to me about its shape and sails as shown on the plan. I apologize to all for departing from the main topic here, the Blekingseka.

[Blekingseka]

To pay for plans from Bätritningar you will need to find out the bank number to send the payment to in Sweden. This you will have to get from the guys at Bätritningar (try to reach Roger Andersson, he speaks more English than Bertil), and then you will have to call your bank and have them set it up. I think we ended up paying more in fees than we did for the plans themselves. It does sometimes take some time for those guys to respond, but they usually do eventually.

[WCM]

To pay for plans from Bätritningar you will need to find out the bank number to send the payment to in Sweden. This you will have to get from the guys at Bätritningar (try to reach Roger Andersson, he speaks more English than Bertil), and then you will have to call your bank and have them set it up. I think we ended up paying more in fees than we did for the plans themselves. It does sometimes take some time for those guys to respond, but they usually do eventually.

Thanks a lot for the information.

[Michael Beckman]

I just finished wiring my money to sweden. 36 dollars for plans, and 32 for shipping and bank fees. Still cheaper than a lot of other plans available. I am now working on acquiring wood, and clearing out garage space to work in. By the way, I look forward to seeing more pictures of your project.

[Blekingseka]

This part was amazingly cool!
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v134/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1364262_7316.jpg
The Flippin' Guys:
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v134/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1364265_8022.jpg
And after numerous hours of scraping plus some turps and oil:
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v134/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1364273_4139.jpg
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v134/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1364275_4678.jpg

I'm pretty sure it weighs 250-300lbs at this point. Thanks guys for the help flipping!

[JC 72]

Fantastisk Eka! Congrats! Splendid job. Looks great. Keep them photos coming. I vote for pine tar, turpintine, linseed oil, don't cover that beautiful wood with paint. And the smell makes you think youv'e gone to Valhalla.
If you do decide to paint, check out natural linseed oil paint from Sweden. www.solventfreepaint.com. Available from a source in NY. Comes in the traditional colors available 100yrs ago. Does not need priming. Per may have heard of this stuff. It sounds very durable, and simple to use. The best part is there is no solvent, so almost no oder. I'm going to give it a torture test on my south facing wood windows in the house. Didn't fined out about it until I had already painted my boat. Does she have a name yet? John

[Michael Beckman]

That is beautiful. These pictures are really getting me pumped for building one.. I can't wait to see you begin outfitting the interior. I absolutely love the way the rudder looks mounted on the boat.

[Yeadon]

Good work there. You're really moving right along. Nice lines on that boat, too.

What is the length and beam?

[River Sailor]

Congratulations! She's looking fine — you two have done a really sweet job.

John

[Blekingseka]

Length not including rudder: 14'1.25"
Max Beam without gunwales: 4'9"
Beam at Transom: 2'4"

[emf]

Great job! I have been interested in scandinavian boat building for some time and have built a few norse boats. I have wated to build one of these boats for some time. They have great lines. The sawn frames can be a challenge. Keep the pics coming.

[Blekingseka]

On the sawn frames, due to the lack of enough perfect, curved grain stock of the right lengths (which we do have some of). We are considering making some of them 4 piece instead of 3. We would add an additional join in the center (middle of the futtock?) on the bottom by way of a scarf joint (seam being on top and bottom) glued with resorcinol. we can use the same scarfing jig we used on the backbone due to the frames being the same thickness as the backbone.
-pictures of frame spiling process coming soon. I need some free evenings here!

[emf]

I should think you should be able to get the frames out of three pieces of straight grain stock. That was the case when I took a workshop at the NW wooden boat school. We were building a 16 ft faering. Their is also a great how to article in wooden boat #49 on norse boat building which may be of some intrest.

[Blekingseka]

Well, we don't have any 14" wide stock that's 1 5/8" thick right now, and unless I want to have more oak cut and wait another few months, I'm going to stick with the scarfing idea. I think the scarfing would be superior anyway, it will cut down on the amount of grain runout on curving futtocks. I know the faering frames are quite curved, but with how the frames are marked on our plans I think they must have used stock with some curving grain. I have seen other ekas done with 3 straight pieces and the different configuration does not look as nice. Thanks for the tip on the WB#49, it's on its way!

[Blekingseka]

In the thick of it now. One down, and only about 7 more to go!
I know people have questions on this one so I'll explain our process:

-Locate and mark positions for the frames.
-Align a crosspiece the same thickness as the framing stock directly over the future frame locations from sheer to sheer.
-Mount a station mold/pattern (ready-made from building upside down) on to the aft face (aft until reaching midships, then fore) of the station mold, set tilt and secure in place.
-Hot glue sharp tipped wood pointer pieces to fwd. face (fwd. until midships) of station mold indicating the joints of the planks with the tips, and the edges of the inner plank by marking on the sides of wood pointers.
-Measure and record bevels (square to planking).
-Carefully remove station mold/pattern with pointers attached and set gently on pattern material (in our case taped up cereal box cardstock).
-Drop marks down to pattern stock from pointer tips and pencil marks using combination square.
-Connect the dots, cut out, and then on to the real work with wood, bandsaw, and hand tools!

The hot glue worked perfect because it sticks quickly and we were able to later scrape off the glue, sharpen up the pointers and reuse our materials.

http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v130/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1469758_3088.jpg

http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v130/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1469765_1845.jpg

Let there be no doubt. These things ARE a lot of work!

[Michael Beckman]

So pretty. I just priced out fastening yesterday, and am now hoping to get a grant for the fastenings and hand tools that I'll need. I'll be laying out the keel before christmas. I am really looking forward to this project. I'll be building right side up, but I don't see any major issues.

[WCM]

To pay for plans from Bätritningar you will need to find out the bank number to send the payment to in Sweden. This you will have to get from the guys at Bätritningar...and then you will have to call your bank and have them set it up. I think we ended up paying more in fees than we did for the plans themselves...

I did as you suggested. the plans came within a week of my order. I heard first from Roger confirming receipt of the order and then Bertil when the plans were sent. The Jaktkanot plans are quite detailed. My bank did charge a $50.00 fee for the transaction. However, since the price of the plans themselves are quite reasonable, the transaction still made sense to me. They have a lot of different plans available. http://www.batritningar.se (The web site is in English as well as Swedish).

Thanks again. Your boat building project is very impressive.

[Michael Beckman]

Yeah, I received my plans very promptly.. They sent them out before I transferred the money. It cost $20 at my bank, and I thought that was high. $50 is insane:/

I found a source for some black locust to use for the frame and possibly keel. Yay.

[Per]

More un-neccessary information.

One reason why the jaktkanot is partially decked, unlike most traditional small boats of this size in the Baltic, is that the bird-dog shall be able to get in and out of the boat more easily when apporting shot birds. Therefore the deck is often clad with painted canvas to get a rough enough surface for the dog´s paws.

[Blekingseka]

Random facts are definitely welcome Per! Michael, start collecting some curved stock if you can find it for the sawn frames. WCM, did you order the #5 Jaktkanot plans?? They look like great boats. I love the decking! What is typical planking stock on those?
I did also just recieve WB#49 recommended by emf, and I do recommend it as well. Great articles on traditional Scand. building methods (prams in particular).

[Michael Beckman]

I think I'll check out WB#49 from the library and take a look. The black locust is all curved. I'll be checking that out tomorrow. I should start my own thread soon, but I think I'll wait until I have a few good pictures to show.

[WCM]

Random facts are definitely welcome Per! Michael, start collecting some curved stock if you can find it for the sawn frames. WCM, did you order the #5 Jaktkanot plans?? They look like great boats. I love the decking! What is typical planking stock on those?
I did also just recieve WB#49 recommended by emf, and I do recommend it as well. Great articles on traditional Scand. building methods (prams in particular).


Yes. I did. Thank you for the information. The plans came quickly. I think that the boat looks very nice and the plans are very nicely drawn. The notes supplied by Bertil suggest oak for keel and stems, pine planks and spruce spars. Looking at some photos on the web, some Jaktkanot boats are quite striking in appearance including the use of teak and mahogany etc. for decking and various other parts, though most images that I've seen use what are likely locally growing Swedish materials.

My Swedish is unfortunately limited to a few words and phrases and the plans are quite naturally, in Swedish. Nautical and other terms associated with boat plans are not easily found in English/Swedish dictionaries, I've found, so I may struggle a bit understanding the plans. They are very nice though and I knew before ordering that the plan notes would be in Swedish. Just one more challenge to be met.

[WCM]

More un-neccessary information.

One reason why the jaktkanot is partially decked, unlike most traditional small boats of this size in the Baltic, is that the bird-dog shall be able to get in and out of the boat more easily when apporting shot birds. Therefore the deck is often clad with painted canvas to get a rough enough surface for the dog´s paws.

That is quite interesting and makes sense. Since I do not have a dog, I may not use canvas. I think that the 13' Jaktkanot plan is a very nice looking smaller sized double-ended boat that should perform well for rowing and be quite stable since its uses include being able to fire at birds from a standing position (though besides not having a dog I'm not a bird hunter). The plans themselves depict a scene of a hunter standing in the boat taking aim at a flock of geese in the air.

[Blekingseka]

Any of you guys know where one can find a scandinavian boatbuilder's axe?? Gransfors has a double-lugged bearded axe with a really long beard, I wonder if that might be a bit extreme though. I'm looking for something maybe more like Mark Swanson's in WB49.

[katiedobe]

Goog Job! Cool looking boat! Can't wait to see it floating.

[Per]

Just found this on the net and couldn´t resist translating it.
Hopefully Kerstin will forgive me for publishing it.





An adventure in a Blekingseka.

I had especially once the opportunity to really test what a boat of this kind is good for.
This was in the fall 1905. At Pukavikens shipyard, where I was then employed, a 17 foot blekingseka had been built for a navy officer. The boat, that is the hull, should be delivered in Karlskrona. It was therefore rigged provisionally with some stray spars for mast and sprit-pole, which all should be left behind and the sails should be packed together for convenience at the return journey. Two men from the wharf went away with the boat a fairly nice day at the end of November. However it went dead calm and they landed at Karlshamn to wait for wind the following day. For some reason one of the men had to go home and yours truly was sent away in his place.

We hoped for a good western breeze the following day, and this hope didn´t let us down, since when we at about 10 o´clock got under way the wind was quite strong. The meaning was that we should keep on the inside of the islands since it was a winter day and our provisional rig not could stand any hard strains. The wind blew harder, and since we had it in from behind we made good speed, and it seemed to develop into a glorious sailtour. We hoped to reach and double Göholm´s peak before dark and then make it for Karlskrona in the evening.

We carried no ballast. We wanted to sail fast, and consequently be as “light” as possible, because neither of us were any confident navigators. Although we had an old chart along, prudence after all is a virtue, when it is at hand. It was quite remarkably that it did go as well as it did, because the inside paths along the Blekinge-coast are quite cumbersome. At noon we had full storm and flew by islands big and small like an express-train on a downhill track.

However we had a little errand to accomplish along the way. We wanted to stay for a moment by someone known, and the little time that we had calculated for this was prolonged, as can happen in friendly company, so when we were across Ronneby clock was over 2. We discussed for a moment if we should turn back and stay over night at Ekö pilot station, but by now we were out in the open sea and it wasn´t easy to tack under so difficult circumstances. If we failed we would only have lost time in vain.

Now it was all about running along. The waves grew by the minute and we wondered whether the boat would ride up in the long run. It did. When looking back it sometimes looked horrible, but not a drop was taken inboards and we didn´t have words enough to praise our stupendous boat. Elegant like a gull it raced along the waves with a speed and safety that was surprising. The waves grew even higher and dark started to fall. The white froth on the waves beamed like evil animal´s teeth, ready to consume their prey. It started to turn less pleasant and we were still far away from our goal, out in an open boat, on the open sea in a winter-storm.

By now we had passed by Göskären and decided to take a chance and go for land. We rushed right into the thick of rocks, and far beyond our hopes we managed to find a lane into Köpe boat-harbour. Here both we and the boat got the most kind reception by the honourable fisher family. After a pleasurable night in their cottage, they piloted us out the following morning, and at 11 o´clock our gallant boat lay off rig by the Kungsbro in Karlskrona. It was with real mourn we left the good boat and we would happily have taken another fight to sail it back.

Told by John Svensson Published by Kerstin Holmgren Translated by Per Bjurling.

[Michael Beckman]

Excellent story. I love reading about these boats.. They make me all the more eager to have mine completed. Do you know very much about the larger ones? I remember reading somewhere that they went all the way to 40 feet long. That seems incredible to me. I am starting to think a 6-8 oared, 25 foot or so version of this design would be excellent for cruising around the San Juan islands, and north to Alaska. I think that will be a project for me after this boat, drawing out plans for a bigger version. All dependent on the performance of my boat, but so far I think it matchs with my goals very well.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks Per, Great story!! gets me excited too. Where is Pukavikens shipyard?? I'll have to visit there on my next tour. I hope to spend more time in Karlskrona too. Do you ever get down there?
I haven't been updating much because each time I get a new frame in I decide that I want "just one more" in before I update. Only one more full set to do, and then the two back knees. THEN I will upload some photos.

[Per]

Excellent story. I love reading about these boats.. They make me all the more eager to have mine completed. Do you know very much about the larger ones? I remember reading somewhere that they went all the way to 40 feet long. That seems incredible to me. I am starting to think a 6-8 oared, 25 foot or so version of this design would be excellent for cruising around the San Juan islands, and north to Alaska. I think that will be a project for me after this boat, drawing out plans for a bigger version. All dependent on the performance of my boat, but so far I think it matchs with my goals very well.

Yes they were built in different sizes.
Did not have many oars though.
The bigger ones were definitely sailboats.
I think complete drawings can be bought.

[Per]

Thanks Per, Great story!! gets me excited too. Where is Pukavikens shipyard?? I'll have to visit there on my next tour. I hope to spend more time in Karlskrona too. Do you ever get down there?
I haven't been updating much because each time I get a new frame in I decide that I want "just one more" in before I update. Only one more full set to do, and then the two back knees. THEN I will upload some photos.

Shipyard is a big word, it should have been boatwharf I think.
I have not located it on the map yet but it is well known.
Don´t know if it is working any more.
I visit my daughter´s inlaws there sometimes.
Waiting for the pictures.

[Per]

Pukavik seems to be close to the town Sölvesborg in Scania. This is in the bottom of the Hanö-bay with Blekinge to the north and Scania to the west. Will look for info about the wharf. It seems to have disappeared.

http://www.answers.com/topic/pukavik

[Dick Persson]

Congratulations. Looks really good guys, nicely done. It is not an easy boat to build.
I grew up just outside Karlskrona and spent time messing about in one just like it.

On another note; Pukaviks wharf closed down sometime in the late 1950’s. The old wharf property is now used by a boat club.

Apparently, the only small boat wharf in Blekinge province still in use and building traditional wooden boats is the Saxemara wharf. Now owned by the Blekinge Museum, but leased to a young boat builder.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the info Dick,
And thanks all of you who have been so patient. And just when I felt like I had really gotten efficient at these things, I finally finish them. Only took a month...
I added the mastfoot to that list of things I wanted to 'just finish quick' before I uploaded my photos, and then I even bathed everything in a coat of turps and oil. For the upper futtocks that are attached to the top of the stern bench we used a biscuit joiner and some homemade WO biscuits to prevent the back corners from shifting.
Sorry about the foreshortening in the photos.
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v160/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1698787_6198.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v160/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1698788_6564.jpg
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v160/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1698789_6991.jpg

[Michael Beckman]

Lovely. That large frame in the back is pretty cool looking. I think its #8 on my plans. I'm off to the woods tomorrow to mill that cedar log out, hopefully I'll be starting the process of catching up with you soon. ;)
Do you have an album online showing all the pictures you've taken? That'd be pretty cool to put together if you haven't already.

[Clencher]

Blekingseka, that is not just a boat, it's a piece of pure artistry. Pictures of it should be hung in the Louvre and the National Gallery.

Congratulations

[Per]

Agree!
Piece of art.
Konstverk in the motherlanguage.
The spectator has the right to become out of words when beholding.

[donald branscom]

Allow me to remove the dot from the end of the link so it works smile.gif

www.batritningar.se (http://www.batritningar.se)

Edited to add: PS - Welcome to the forum!

[ 01-08-2006, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: JimD ]

Very sharp Jim.

[Blekingseka]

Steamed the 35mm-6 cm. broad (at the widest) inwales tonight. 3 out of 4 pieces made it just perfectly. The last piece, port fore cracked a bit. We'll see if we can repair it, but chances are I'll have to make a new one. It's pretty amazing to see oak that thick bend.
We also found out that at about 2 hours and 35 mn. a 5 gallon steel bucket full of water over a turkey cooker on full blast will have boiled off, and will then ignite the plastic bucket cover. While working on that, the flames will leap higher and ignite the wet blanket used to stop up the steambox entrance. A fire extinguisher can be handy.

[chainyank]

The devil is in the details! Keep safe and keep building I am enjoying watching your progress!
-Joel

[Blekingseka]

Update: joints between inwales and framing are finished as well as the breasthook and the hangers for the rowing bench and mast-partner. We will have to rabbet out some recesses in the hangers to accept the mast partner later on. It took me a good day to make the tiller, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Removing stock for the rudder groove was a new experience for me which I really enjoyed. (Spade bit halfway through from both sides all down the marked location, then final stock removal with chisels and rasp.) Fits perfectly, feels great on the hands. We're working on the oarlock pads now. Need to pick out some outwale stock.
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v169/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1820690_5171.jpg
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v162/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1822210_1506.jpg
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v162/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1822191_3460.jpg

[Blekingseka]

does Per or anyone else know on traditional workboats like this if the oarlock pads are typically fastened to the gunwales or if they are merely held in place by the thole pins? I would just assume that they would be fastened so they beef up the bracing structure for the pins rather than shifting slightly with the pins... right?

[Michael Beckman]

Very nice. What are you planning on using for oarlocks? I'm currently leaning towards tholepins, with a hummel band for long rows.

[WCM]

It's a beautiful boat.

[Per]

does Per or anyone else know on traditional workboats like this if the oarlock pads are typically fastened to the gunwales or if they are merely held in place by the thole pins? I would just assume that they would be fastened so they beef up the bracing structure for the pins rather than shifting slightly with the pins... right?

For once I must admit that my English fails me. :o I will look into my material to see if I understand the question. Will take some days.

[Blekingseka]

Sorry Per, I'll simplify. I'm just wondering if, when you remove the rowing pins (thole pins), the rowing pad is supposed to come off, or if it is fastened on.
And Michael, what is a 'hummel band'? Do you have a picture. I am doing the oarlock pads and thole pins as indicated on the plans. they seem the most common for this boat type as opposed to the heavier one-sided lock with the rope loop.

[Per]

Sorry Per, I'll simplify. I'm just wondering if, when you remove the rowing pins (thole pins), the rowing pad is supposed to come off, or if it is fastened on.

Happy to be able to tell you that on the Swedish east coast the rowing pad is normally fastened and slightly tapered so it is not in the way when climbing on or off the boat or pulling a heavy net on board.:)

[Blekingseka]

Nobody warned me how complicated these flooring sections would be to spile and fit. I'm pretty sure they are more difficult than the frames! It took all day to 1-figure out how I wanted to record measurements, 2-mill the stock, and 3-do the shaping and fitting for one section of flooring. hopefully I can pick up the pace a bit now.
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v162/52/83/516640111/n516640111_1877345_8841.jpg

[Duncan Gibbs]

Green!.......

With envy!!!!

How long 'til you've got her in the water Mr B? Can't wait for the pic's!!

[Blekingseka]

Probably May, we're still just digging in for the icy winter up here. We'll need the time to work on the sail anyway.

[C. Ross]

There's a couple of us who live nearby and would cheer the launch in a couple of months. Beautiful boat.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks, and you bet, I'm sure I'll post my launching date and location on here a bit in advance.
Just finished the flooring. Used up a lot of the planking stock scraps we had leftover. There is nothing in the plans that shows what secures the flooring sections in place. I'm not sure if they need to be, but even with a good fit with the beveled edges if I step on the far outside of either of the middle two floor sections it pops a little towards the opposite side. I wonder if this will maybe be a problem while climbing in and out of the boat. Once the pine tar is added to our finsihing mix they may stick a little better, but I'm not sure. I may have to rig something up that catches on the lap edges underneath. If anyone has seen some solutions to prevent the shifting please let me know. Or if I'm just being too picky, you can let me know that too.

[Per]

I haven´t ever seen some device to fasten the floor sections.
They lie floating when one has got rain inboards.
Merry Christmas!:)

[lagspiller]

It is bad form to step off-center in a small boat.
The boats here also have loose 'floorboards'. We call them 'tiljer'. One tilje. Several tiljer.

[Per]

It is bad form to step off-center in a small boat.
The boats here also have loose 'floorboards'. We call them 'tiljer'. One tilje. Several tiljer.

This is why one has to tread with care when mixing Norwegian and Swedish. We have the same word, but here it means floor planks, in houses that is. Tilja, tiljor.

In the boat we call them one Durk several durkar.

[Blekingseka]

That's just what I needed to know. Thanks guys!
God Jul!

[lagspiller]

This is why one has to tread with care when mixing Norwegian and Swedish. We have the same word, but here it means floor planks, in houses that is. Tilja, tiljor.

In the boat we call them one Durk several durkar.
Interesting... 'dørk' and 'dørken' (similar pronunciation to 'durk') has about the same meaning as 'floor', here. Probably the same origin as 'deck'. Tiljer are loose sections of floorboard in an open boat. Dørken is the 'floor' in the cabin or a room of larger boat... or if you talk about the function. We put tiljer in the boat... and then pile things on the 'dørken'.

[Per]

Found this today.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/per_09/bteri001.jpg

With this set of tools any boat could be built during the viking-period.:)

[Michael Beckman]

What about fastenings? What would they use for those?

[Per]

What about fastenings? What would they use for those?
When it comes to how a traditional Blekingseka is held together it might as well have been built during the viking-era.
The boards/planks are fastened together with soft iron nails. The nails have rather big heads and a rectangular cut-through. Not very unlike horseshoe-nails. A hole is first burned through the outer plank. A little strand of tar-soaked fiber is wound around the nail and then driven through. The tip of the nail will be bent over 90 degrees and then the spike will be bent over and beaten so that the tip bites into the plank on the inside.
The frames are fastened to the planks with "rivets" made out of juniper. They have a conical head and are about the size of a grown man´s long finger. A hole is made through the plank and frame, the plug is first split in the "narrow"end and then driven through from the outside, thereafter wedged with wedges of pine I think. Both these methods mean a lot of work and not always a very fine finish but they are possible to repair and they last for a man´s lifetime. My own eka was built that way and it was probably built in the 18 hundreds.

[Blekingseka]

Sorry all my photos on the first 3 pages are gone. Imagestation finally shut down my old account. If you wanted to see something in particular let me know, I've got tons of photos.
We're switching to the coats of 'Boiled' Linseed Oil now, soon to add the Pine Tar. Waiting to attach the bang strip until after another coat or two. Working on the oars. They'll be over 9' long, made of Ash. And then once those are done we'll be able to clear our cluttered lofting floor, repaint it and set up for the sail. I'll see if I can't get some updated photo's on here.

[Blekingseka]

Here Th'ar'.
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v182/52/83/516640111/n516640111_2224594_4070.jpg
http://photos-111.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v182/52/83/516640111/n516640111_2224596_4615.jpg

[Jim Ledger]

Congratulations! An absolutely superb job!

[WCM]

Fantastic.

[Blekingseka]

Oars are about done (I haven't mounted the replaceable rowing pads that go on the sides of the oars yet). They turned out nice I think. A couple coats of epoxy and a couple coats of spar varnish wet sanded in between coats. There are a few spots where there was a tiny bit of sagging in the varnish, but I don't know how I could have prevented that. Any secret methods? Coating multi-dimentional objects is difficult. Especially with bubble-prone varnish. I had the oars up on the tips of screws mounted upside down in blocks for the varnishing. Seemed to work pretty well. They're over 9' long, made from Ash, following Smalser's method for the most part.
Thole pins are finished too.

The brass bang strip is cut and filed where it will be silver-soldered over the peak of the stem by a friend of mine.

And my double-boiler from ebay arrived today, so I'm about ready for the pine tar!

http://photos-f.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v203/52/83/516640111/n516640111_2378709_7974.jpg

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[Ruairidh]

I'm not so sure about the raw linseed oil being a problem yet. I know that in some oil painting you actually mix the paint with raw linseed oil before you even apply it. In theory, Oil is supposed to stick to Oil.

Hi. Nice thread.

Per is right. Raw Linseed Oil is great for a whole range of applications, especially where you're going to freshen it up with new oil later. Never use it neat, always diluted 50/50 with genuine turpentine and wipe off excess after an hour or so with a rag. It will skin in a week and become touch-dry but as Per says it never really hardens.

Raw Linseed is used in making some trad paint and varnish but always in conjunction with Terebine or Japan Drier, which does chemically what boiling does (in fact "boiled" linseed is usually just raw with Terebine or another chemical drier in it, so if you have to make "boiled", do it this way, as heating linseed to 400 degrees is something of a fire hazard......)

The problem with Raw Linseed is that the driers in any paint that you put over it will not penetrate enough to cure the underlying oil so the paint will always be sitting on a not-quite-dry surface. This is less of an issue on an oil painting which would not normally be chucked in the briny, heaved around docks or on and off trailers, all pretty aggressive stuff, where you need a well-bonded paint coat. Remember also that oil paintings should be varnished after completion to protect the soft paint.

So, on a boat or in a house, when subsequent painting or varnishing is planned, use Boiled; if it ain't, I personally would use Raw, because subsequent coats of Raw Linseed/Turps will soften the original and bond better.

(It's an aside but I love Raw Linseed for interior hardwood or terra-cotta floors-- Once every 2-3 years you can go over the lot with a mop soaked in turps, which will lift the old oil, floor wax and any dirt that has become grained into it. Apply two coats of Raw Linseed/Turps, wipe over with beeswax when it's dry, and voila, floor as good as new.)

The price of the two forms is only about 5-10% different, BTW.

[Blekingseka]

Thanks for the info Ruairidh, now here's another question:
I'm coating the boat with a mix of Boiled Linseed Oil and Pine Tar. About 1 part tar to 3 parts oil. I heat the mix with a double boiler. Now... do I want to be wiping the excess off after every coat? from what I understand, after all of the previous undercoats of raw oil, at this point, the pine tar mixture is really supposed to coat and protect the SURFACE of the wood. Another issue I'm having is that the mix is still taking a long time to dry, even with the driers in the boiled oil, and the oil is continuing to collect in the laps. I guess this is a good indication that the wood has been saturated/penetrated to a good level (as far as can be true of White Oak at least).

[Blekingseka]

Cloth reinforcements are sewn in, the roping and edge tablings/tapes should also be done within a few days here. We've got the brass rings and thimbles, and should be ready for the hand-finishing work by this weekend. Had a lot of trouble finding a machine around here that could handle the layers and still do zigzag. I was about to lose hope until we tried the machine of a family friend. Expensive machine!! Thank goodness for serious quilters!
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[Michael Beckman]

Nice choice with tanbark. I wanted to do that, but since the sail being given to me is extremely nice I can't really complain. :p

[Michael Beckman]

Any updates?

[Blekingseka]

Sorry, things have been incredibly busy around here. The boat itself is finished and outside. Haven't taken it down to the lakes or river yet because until now, the water has been too cold, and also, I still have a little bit of the rigging to figure out. It's nothing that would take much time, but I'm so busy with everything else. I should probably just set a launch date and plan on being ready for that.

[Blekingseka]

Launching Date is set for either June 28th or 29th, to be determined by the weather forecast probably mid-week before those dates. It will be launched in Lake Winona. (If she floats) we will be doing some experimentation with different sheeting locations and rigging techniques. So by the time we actually get out on a decent sailing lake, we should have some of that stuff figured out. For those who have expressed interest I can let you know when we plan to be out on Lake Pepin for the first time.
I'll be sure to have pictures taken.
gabe

[Blekingseka]

The Christening and Launch on Saturday went as well as could ever be hoped. For lack of a boat trailer, we loaded the boat into our horse trailer and took it down to Lake Winona. Somewhere near 40 friends and family showed up to enjoy the event, as well as numerous random passers-by. After the name-giving, Ekesköld (Oakenshield) was baptized with the bubbly, and lifted in. We took a quick little tour with the oars, no leaks! Then we stepped the mast and unfurled full sail. As we began gliding away from the dock the storm hit. It was now a trial by storm situation. The rain poured and the gusts hit. Most of the spectators ran for the cover of our horse trailer. Everything held, but after a dicey minute of beating we decided to haul on the brailing line (thank goodness for that invention!). Then we actually ran under jib alone for a while. After that we tried adding a scandalized main. That worked well, but it would be nice to anchor down the peak becket to prevent flogging. When the rain let up and the winds settled a bit we set it all back up again. In the middle of the short storm it was a great feeling to realize that IT ALL WORKED!! While we were being pelted by that burst of wind and rain, the water was beautifully beading up on the oil and tarred surfaces of the boat. The pine tar coating was tacky in a grippy way, not in a way that leaves residue on your hands. You can slide your hands across it fine (especially when wet), but it remains an excellent surface to walk or move about on. Cold rain, and warm lakewater. Good heeling, but remaining stable, the stays and sail holding firm, and no leaking whatsoever.
The rest of the afternoon was spent ferrying people around for rides, many who have never sailed at all. The boat will comfortably carry 4 people and we probably had well over 750 lbs. of people in it at one point, and it was no problem. I'm sure we could fit five. Three seems like a fast ideal number though.
She cut water beautifully and left nothing behind. I was even pleasantly surprised by her windward ability.
I haven't found anything that I would do much differently. I will probably shorten the tiller about a handwidth so it doesn't interfere with the mainsheet running back to the rear frames. And we need to set up some small blocks for the jibsheets so they can be run to the rear or the bow. She balances best when there is at least some weight in the bow.
We had her out today again in a bit lighter wind, and matched pace with a nice fiberglass centerboard sloop slightly larger than us. I'll have to make some decent-looking wooden blocks for running the mainsheet to as well. We're using boring steel ones right now. It is nice to have a little bit of mechanical advantage when the sails are full. So if you have some diagrams for your favorite homemade blocks that would work with 5/16" rope, let me know.
Any questions or comments would be quite welcome... and yes, I know... it was ABOUT TIME!
gabe

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[Duncan Gibbs]

Major congrat's due, and three cheers...

HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH!

Excellent work! Lots more photo's please!

Raid Finland??

[Michael Beckman]

Easily the sexiest boat I've seen. Excellent shots and I agree with Duncan, more would be wonderful. Congratulations on sailing. How did she row?

[Dave R]

Very nice. Congratulations! If I'd known, I'd have driven down to watch the launch. Have fun with her.

Next year bring her up to Lake City for the messabout.

[botebum]

Wow! Gabe, she's beautiful! So happy for you. And, of course, more pics please;)

Doug

[Per]

I am so lucky for your sake that my predictions about how lovely such a boat is came true.
A special feature of the Blekingseka is the fact that she leaves very little if any wake.
You managed to prove that too!
You must be very proud!
says Per

[StevenBauer]

Wow! What a beauty. Awesome.


Steven

[switters]

congratulations, what a beauty.

[C. Ross]

Congratulations. She looks spectacular! Hope you get her out this weekend. I'm going to be on the north end of Pepin, and will keep an eye out for the gorgeous blekingseka Ekesköld with tanbark sails!

[Jeff Benagh]

Fantastic looking! And "good job" to the crew for the foul-weather sailing.

Jeff

[WCM]

It's very, very impressive.

[Blekingseka]

Sorry C. Ross, I won't be on Pepin this weekend. Soon! I can let you know when I plan on being out there. Know anyone with a boat trailer for cheap. I need to be able to support the keel well and set up the bunks so they aren't damaging the laps. There are some pretty bumpy roads between here and Pepin to be using the horse trailer I think.

Dave, I'll plan on being at the Messabout next June.

Michael, she rowed nicely. I think slightly shorter oars might have been sufficient. The long ones look cool and work fine on smooth water, but if there is any chop you aren't left with much lap space. But I plan on sailing whenever possible anyway. I suppose shorter ones would store just that much easier too. I could possibly shorten the looms. More experience will tell. You still need to show me what 'Hummel Bands' are!

And does anyone know where I can get a larger sized long/D-shackle for connecting the jib tack (headstay) to the stem of the boat. The thickness of the stem needs a 1 1/4" width shackle, and it would need to be about 2 1/2" long from pin to loop end. Ideally it would be bronze too, but that might be asking too much.


a few more:
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[Michael Beckman]

As before, incredible shots.

Heres an action shot of a hummel band(or oar lashing, depending on who your asking):

http://lh4.ggpht.com/Stuparman/SDDi7R--4oI/AAAAAAAAD0k/JvODRGmCW5o/s800/P5130152.JPG
They're nice for long rows, as they keep the oars from bouncing back and forth between the pins

[Blekingseka]

Spent the morning out on the boat today (Still just in Winona). Another beautiful one! I used some black locust rope strapped blocks that I made for the mainsheet. The setup works wonderfully using the double blocking technique (dead end sheet on one stern frame, run through a block at the main clew, then through a block in the opposite stern frame, then to the hand). I also made some fairleads (which I use as light blocks) so the jib can be worked from either the stern or the bow. At some point I may need to make a few jam cleats for solo sailing. Michael, if you are looking for other small stuff to do, I'd recommend the blocks. I got the info from 'The Arts of the Sailor' by Hervey Garrett Smith, though I modifed them a bit.
And still, if any of you guys in the midwest know of a decent used trailer that would support a 14' oak lapstrake boat with a keel please let me know. A long center support for the keel is a must on this one I think. At one point I saw an article somewhere on trailering lapstrake boats, anyone know where that article is?
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